Bella Ballerina shows she can go the distance in Golden Rod Stakes
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Pretty Mischievous took some time to develop, but was a multiple Grade 1 winner as a 3-year-old, including the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, to earn an Eclipse Award.
With that, there was much expected of her younger half-sister Bella Ballerina, especially when the filly trained forwardly for her debut this fall. She is living up to that promise. Bella Ballerina won the Grade 2, $400,000 Golden Rod Stakes on Saturday night at Churchill, a race Pretty Mischievous was third in in 2022.
“It’s amazing, ever since she ran the first time she appears to be becoming more and more like [Pretty Mischievous],” said trainer Brendan Walsh, who also handled the champion.. “We loved her sister and hopefully this one will be just as good.”
Bella Ballerina ($10.28), a Godolphin homebred by Street Sense and out of the Grade 1-winning mare Pretty City Dancer, won her debut going six furlongs on Oct. 5 at Keeneland. Both Walsh and jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who also teamed with Pretty Mischievous, believed the filly would easily stretch out, and she did so in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile race.
There was trouble at the start which did not affect the eventual winner. Longshot Essential Coffee, breaking from post 2, dropped her shoulder and threw jockey Corey Lanerie, and ran off near the back of the pack before being apprehended. Lanerie sat up and walked off.
Meanwhile, Letmecounttheways, unbeaten in two starts against New York-breds, pulled jockey Joel Rosario to the lead and refused to settle, opening as much as a five-length lead while keen through splits of 23.45 seconds and 46.31 seconds.
Letmecounttheways attempted to dig in turning for home, but was running out of gas, as Bella Ballerina, who had been tracking in second, revved up on her outside. Bella Ballerina struck the lead and opened better than three lengths on the field. She became a bit leg-weary late after chasing the pace, but lasted by half a length at the wire as Atropa mounted a strong rally from fifth to finish second. She was another half-length ahead of Just Singing in third, with favored Life of Joy checking in fourth ahead of Letmecounttheways.
The time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:43.50.
“Going from a sprint to her first time around two turns there can always be some questions, but we were confident in her that she’d be able to handle it today,” Gaffalione said. “All the credit goes to Brendan and his team for having her ready to do that. She really showed up for us today. It just made my job easier.”
Earlier on the card, fillies also had a stakes opportunity sprinting, and On Time Girl ($8.22) stalked the pace before kicking clear to a 3 1/2-length win in the 6 1/2-furlong Fern Creek. The filly turned the tables on A Fine Chardonnay - who finished third - after checking in second behind her in the Myrtlewood Stakes last month at Keeneland.
On Time Girl, who had Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons for trainer Brad Cox, races as a homebred for Albaugh Family Stables. She is by their star stallion Not This Time.
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