Bella Ballerina's next race: Fair Grounds Oaks? Ashland? No decision yet
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NEW ORLEANS - Bella Ballerina emerged from her hard-fought victory in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes in good shape, trainer Brendan Walsh said Sunday morning, but no plans have been set for her next start.
The two races in play are the Fair Grounds Oaks on March 21 and the Grade 1 Ashland on April 3 at Keeneland. Walsh and the filly’s owner, Godolphin, haven’t made a choice, but the Fair Grounds Oaks could be the more likely spot. That was the race that Bella Ballerina’s sister, the Walsh-trained Pretty Mischievous, used as a springboard to her 2023 Kentucky Oaks win.
Undefeated after three starts, and winner of the Nov. 29 Golden Rod Stakes in her race prior to the Rachel Alexandra, Bella Ballerina looked like a beaten horse at the furlong grounds Saturday. Jumping to the early lead under Tyler Gaffalione, Bella Ballerina, fresh and sharp, got stronger than Gaffalione wanted after turning onto the backstretch.
Luv Your Neighbor, second in the Untapable and the Silverbulletday, and racing for the first time in blinkers, tracked intently, collared Bella Ballerina in upper stretch, and might have led by as much as a neck before Bella Ballerina came back in the final half-furlong to nail her. Bella Ballerina ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.38 and got a career-best 84 Beyer.
“For her to do that off the layoff was very impressive,” Walsh said. “Watch the head-on; the other horse has her pushed right up against the fence. Tyler said every time he asked for a little more, she gave it to him.”
While Bella Ballerina worked hard to get the victory, Gaffalione didn’t ride her especially hard, Walsh said, intent on saving something for subsequent races.
Luv Your Neighbor – second in her last four starts – is possible for the same two races as Bella Ballerina as well as the Fantasy at Oaklawn Park, trainer Michael Stidham said Sunday. Did the blinkers help Luv Your Neighbor on Saturday?
“I don’t know, but she was second again,” Stidham said.
Just Singing finished third in the Golden Rod and third again behind Bella Ballerina while making her seasonal bow in the Rachel Alexandra. A closer, Just Singing raced against the track bias Saturday and turned in a creditable race. Her trainer, Florida-based Kent Sweezey, said it was likely Just Singing would return for the Fair Grounds Oaks.
A previous version of this article misstated the year Pretty Mischievous won the Kentucky Oaks. It was 2023, not 2022.
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