Alpha Bella, Hey Nay Nay to graded stakes
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Alpha Bella, who ended a 10-race losing streak with a win in the CTT-TOC Stakes at Del Mar last Friday, and the undefeated 2-year-old Hey Nay Nay have graded stakes engagements in coming weeks.
Trainer John Sadler said last weekend that Alpha Bella will be pointed for the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Oct. 4. The winner of the $200,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
In the CTT-TOC Stakes, Alpha Bella led throughout the race at 1 3/8 miles on turf, setting a slow pace.
“That’s where we hoped to be in that field,” Sadler said of Alpha Bella’s positioning.
Alpha Bella, owned by Don Alberto Stable, ran on dirt at Santa Anita earlier this year, including a second in the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes in January, but will remain in turf races for the foreseeable future.
“We’ll stay in longer turf [races],” Sadler said. “We’ll stay in our lane.”
Alpha Bella, a winner of 4 of 24 starts, won the Grade 2 La Prevoyante Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/2 miles on turf at Gulfstream Park in January 2024 when trained by Todd Pletcher. Alpha Bella joined Sadler’s stable in the summer of 2024.
Hey Nay Nay won his stakes debut with little difficulty in the Tyro Stakes at five furlongs at odds of 1-5 against four rivals at Monmouth Park on Aug. 7. Hey Nay Nay led throughout and pulled clear to win by seven lengths.
Hey Nay Nay, who races for Hronis Racing and Iapetus Racing, is being pointed to the Grade 3 Del Mar Juvenile Turf at a mile on Sept. 7, the closing day of the current meeting.
“He came back from his trip in good order,” Sadler said.
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