Bellafina Dominates Santa Anita Oaks
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Bellafina cruises to victory in the Santa Anita Oaks at Santa Anita Park
Kaleem Shah's Bellafina shook clear of Flor de La Mar at the head of the lane and powered home to a 5 1/4-length victory in the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G1) April 6 at Santa Anita Park, stamping herself as the likely favorite for the May 3 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).
The Quality Road filly now sits securely at the top of the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 132 points.
Flor de La Mar broke on top under Joel Rosario in the Santa Anita Oaks, but she was quickly joined by Slewgoodtobetrue as the field rounded the first bend. The opening quarter-mile went in a moderate :24.10 as Bellafina was kept wide and second choice Chasing Yesterday was tucked inside. The half-mile ticked off in :47.88, and Flor de La Mar made her way to the front while skimming the rail. Chasing Yesterday, a half sister to 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah , and Bellafina were right there as Slewgoodtobetrue began to retreat.
Still wide, Bellafina and rider Flavien Prat moved to the front as the field turned for home after six furlongs went in 1:12.51. Bellafina's long strides made the difference as she quickly separated herself from Flor de La Mar and powered home to the wire.
Bellafina covered 1 1/16 miles in a final time of 1:45.47 and returned $2.60 as the 1-5 favorite.
"We were a little wide on the first turn," said Prat, who has had the mount on Bellafina for all eight of her starts. "I didn't want to get in any trouble, so I got her to be comfortable and relax. At the three-eighths pole, she ducked out a little and the others got away from us. We regrouped, and when we made our move and got the lead, I was quite confident. I'm looking forward to the Kentucky Oaks. I'm confident that she will run better than she did in the Breeders' Cup."
Godolphin's Flor de La Mar was second, and Chasing Yesterday was 3 1/2 lengths back in third. Slewgoodtobetrue was fourth. Stirred, 15-1 on the morning line, was scratched.
"It worked out perfectly," said winning trainer Simon Callaghan. "She relaxed great, did exactly what Flavien wanted, and she was there when he wanted her, so it worked out as we hoped. We weren't sure what the tactics were going to be on the inside of us, and we didn't want to commit to going to the lead because then we could be pressured. We figured staying out wide made sense."
It was Bellafina's third consecutive victory of 2019 and third grade 1 score overall. She picked up graded-stakes scores in the Jan. 6 Santa Inez Stakes (G2) and Feb. 9 Las Virgenes Stakes (G2), both at Santa Anita.
At 2, Bellafina won three of five starts. She finished second in maiden company at Los Alamitos Race Course in July, then rattled off three wins, all in graded company: the Aug. 5 Sorrento Stakes (G2) and Sept. 1 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) at Del Mar, and the Sept. 29 Chandelier Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita. Bellafina ended the year with a fourth-place finish in the Nov. 2 Tito's Handmade Vodka Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs.
Bred in Kentucky by Joseph Minor's JSM Equine out of the Malibu Moon mare Akron Moon, who produced her full brother Jan. 31, Bellafina was a $220,000 RNA at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Shah paid $800,000 for the supersized filly in 2018 at The Gulfstream Sale, Fasig-Tipton's selected 2-year-old in training sale, from the consignment of Wavertree Stables. She has a 6-1-0 record from eight starts and earnings of $1,068,000.