Ballet Dancing Pulls Away to Win Santa Ana Stakes

Trainer Simon Callaghan patiently waited for the day when his student, the Medaglia d'Oro   filly Ballet Dancing , would run a longer distance than the 1 1/8 miles she topped out at during her 3-year-old season.

That day came March 12 at Santa Anita Park in her second race as a 4-year-old. 

After stalking the pacesetter into the homestretch, Ballet Dancing made the 1 1/4-mile distance of the $101,000 Santa Ana Stakes (G3T) look easy, coasting to a 3 1/2-length victory. 

"This was certainly the distance we've been waiting for. ... Now as an older mare, she's just going to flourish," Callaghan said. "I think these longer distances—a mile and a quarter, a mile and a half—they are going to be right in her wheelhouse."

The win was a pleasant rebound from Ballet Dancing's last start where she faded down the stretch as the 7-5 favorite to finish 4 1/4 lengths behind the winner in an allowance optional claimer Feb. 3 at Santa Anita.

The Santa Ana featured seven fillies and mares ages 4 and older, and 16-1 longshot Annaghlasa  got out of the gate strong and used that burst to hold onto the lead through the first mile, posting fractionals of :24.01, :47.22, 1:12.07, and 1:36.70. 

Ballet Dancing (9-2), with Flavien Prat in the irons, moved to the front as the field hit the stretch and pulled away under steady handling, covering the mile and a quarter in 2:01.25.

"He was in the perfect position the whole way," Callaghan said. "Flavien just had (her in) a comfortable stalking position. The whole race I was happy where she was. And when I saw that nothing was really coming, Flavien made his move and I thought, 'Well, it'll be pretty tough to catch her from here.'"

Queen Ofthe Temple  (5-1) and Duvet Day  (5-1) rounded out the top three. Post-time favorite Australia Mia  (3-2) walked off and finished last.

Ballet Dancing paid $11.40 on a $2 win bet.

The filly is owned by Westerberg, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith. She was bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Old Oak Farm. She was purchased at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling sale by M.V. Magnier for $800,000 out of the Ashview Farm consignment. 

Ballet Dancing is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Fully Living. The mare has six foals, four of which have started and three that have won, including the graded stakes-placed Untreated, a 5-year-old by Nyquist, who has earned over $291,000. Medaglia d'Oro stands at Darley for $100,000.

Ballet Dancing has a career record of 3-1-2 from nine starts with career earnings of $191,060.

The Santa Ana marked Ballet Dancing's third graded stakes appearance. She finished fifth in the Del Mar Oaks (G1T) and third in the Honeymoon Stakes (G3T) last year.