No firm plans for Covfefe, but Bellafina will be back in La Brea

ARCADIA, Calif. – Covfefe emerged from her victory in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in good shape and was scheduled to be back in her stall at Churchill Downs in Kentucky sometime around noon Eastern following an equine charter flight early Sunday, according to Brad Cox, who trains the 3-year-old filly for LNJ Foxwoods.

“She came out of it great,” Cox said early Sunday. “We loaded her this morning at 2 a.m. (Pacific). She’s on her way home.”

Covfefe won the Grade 1, $1 million BC Filly and Mare Sprint on Saturday at Santa Anita with authority, drawing clear in midstretch under Joel Rosario before prevailing by a comfortable three-quarters of a length over Bellafina. It was 7 3/4 lengths back to Dawn the Destroyer in third.

Covfefe, by Into Mischief, earned a 106 Beyer Speed Figure by finishing seven furlongs in 1:22.40. In two prior races this year, the Miss Preakness at Pimlico and the Dogwood at Churchill, she got Beyers of 107.

Cox said he was unsure of the plan going forward with Covfefe, although it seems very unlikely she would return to Santa Anita for a rematch with Bellafina in the Grade 1 La Brea on Dec. 26. The Breeders’ Cup triumph all but sealed the Eclipse Award for top filly-mare sprinter of 2019 for Covfefe, and it would make little sense to put that position at risk.

“We honestly haven’t planned that far ahead yet,” said Cox.

Meanwhile, trainer Simon Callaghan said Bellafina definitely will be pointed to the La Brea, also a seven-furlong race. The Saturday defeat was her first in five starts over her home surface following four wins here. The Quality Road filly has been withdrawn from the Fasig-Tipton Sale on Wednesday and will race at 4, owner Kaleem Shah said through his Twitter account.

Covfefe and Bellafina were the only 3-year-olds in a field of nine. First run in 2007, the Filly and Mare Sprint had never been won by a 3-year-old until Shamrock Rose was up in the final jumps last year to win at Churchill.

Dawn the Destroyer, a Stonestreet Stables homebred 5-year-old, likely will be retired, said trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

Come Dancing, never a threat when finishing sixth as the 2-1 second choice, has been retired to Lane’s End Farm. The 5-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon won four of six starts this year, all graded stakes, with a 3 1/2-length win in the Grade 1 Ballerina being the high point.