Bella Sofia Finds Way to Win Bed o' Roses

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez doesn't think he saw the best version of his standout filly sprinter Bella Sofia  June 10 at Belmont Park but it still proved enough to win the $279,000 Bed o' Roses Stakes (G2).

On paper, grade 1 winner Bella Sofia looked like the controlling speed in the field of just four fillies and mares in Friday's seven-furlong test—and that would quickly prove out. Bella Sofia broke well from the gate under Luis Saez to quickly seize the advantage.

The daughter of Awesome Patriot  then settled to register a quarter-mile in :23.62 and a half-mile in :46.18 in the well-bunched field as Easy to Bless  challenged to apply token pressure in the turn. Bella Sofia would soon put away that rival, open up a 2 1/2-length lead in midstretch, and have enough left to hold off an impressive late rally from grade 1 winner Obligatory  to secure a half-length win. She completed seven furlongs in 1:21.36.

"I was a little concerned because she usually changes leads but today she didn't," Rodriguez said. "I don't know if something was bothering her; maybe (we brought her) here too quick. She won."

Going into the race Rodriquez was concerned that Bella Sofia didn't receive enough time off after a hard-fought victory about four weeks ago in the Vagrancy Handicap (G3). As the 123-pound highweight in that May 14 race at Belmont, Bella Sofia dueled with multiple graded stakes winner Frank's Rockette  through the stretch before prevailing by a nose. 

Rodriguez was thrilled with Friday's win but even afterward he regretted sending his standout filly to the starting gate at less than her best. 

"I think we made a mistake, but I know she's just a special horse," Rodriguez said, later adding that with the win he hoped the owners would back off of telling him when to race. "She looked like she got a little tired. I worked for Bobby Frankel and Richard Dutrow and they always said if you have a good horse, you have to take care of the horse. So I knew in the back of my mind we were coming back a little quickly but she's just so special."

Obligatory, who entered off her breakthrough grade 1 win in the Derby City Distaff Stakes Presented by Kendall-Jackson Winery (G1) May 7 at Churchill Downs, delivered a sharp finish under Jose Ortiz despite attempting to rally after slow fractions.

"She's sort of a victim of whatever the pace scenario is but she ran well," trainer Bill Mott said. "Our filly ran a huge race; the other filly is special too. With a small field and no other real speed in there, the other filly had a tactical advantage."

Campaigned by Michael Imperio, Medallion Racing, Sofia Soares, Vincent Scuderi, and Parkland Thoroughbreds, Bella Sofia earned her fourth graded stakes victory. She also claimed last year's Gallant Bloom Handicap (G2) against older females and the Longines Test Stakes (G1) against other 3-year-old fillies.

"She's the horse of a lifetime," Rodriguez said. "It's a dream come true."

Bred in Kentucky by Two Tone Farms, Bella Sofia is out of the stakes-placed Consolidator  mare Love Contract , who has produced three starters, all winners. Love Contract also has an unraced 2-year-old colt named War Empire, by V. E. Day .

Bella Sofia, to date the leading earner for her sire at $840,100 in earnings, sold for $20,000 at the Ocala Breeders' Sales' 2020 July 2-Year-Olds & Horses of Racing Age Sale to Sallusto & Albina, agent. She was consigned by Grassroots Training & Sales.