Bella Dona favored to win 10th straight race in La Coneja Stakes
Bella Dona faces 11 others Sunday when she attempts to win her 10th consecutive race in the $100,000 La Coneja at Sunland Park. The six-furlong race is for fillies and mares bred in New Mexico.
The field includes stakes winners Proofsinthepuddin, Shugs Charlie, Bikini Time, and Corrina Corrina.
But the horse to beat is Bella Dona, who began her streak in September 2021, when she defeated male rivals in the New Mexico State Fair Futurity at the Downs at Albuquerque. Bella Dona proceeded to win the New Mexico Cup Lassie one start later at Zia Park in October 2021. She then picked up where she left off in her 3-year-old debut in January 2022, taking the La Senora at Sunland. Bella Dona was 7 for 7 last year and is launching her 4-year-old season in the La Coneja.
Bella Dona’s nine straight wins have all come in stakes races restricted to horses bred in New Mexico. It’s a streak that calls to mind the exploits of Peppers Pride, who went 19 for 19 while racing exclusively in her home state of New Mexico. She retired a millionaire after winning the New Mexico Racing Commission Handicap at Sunland in December 2008.
Bella Dona is making her first start since winning the New Mexico Cup Oaks on Oct. 30 at Zia Park. She has been working at Sunland for trainer Simon Buechler, with her latest move a half-mile in 48.80 seconds on Jan. 30. Bella Dona won off a layoff of similar length last January, and later in 2022 won off a second layoff of four months.
Peppers Pride often had gaps in her form, as her accomplishments would preclude her from most overnight races. It led to Peppers Pride having to await stakes opportunities and that meant racing off layoffs. Her success was a testament to her talent, as well as the conditioning of her trainer, Joel Marr.
The same can be said for Bella Dona and Buechler, who has trained the daughter of Attila’s Storm throughout her career, which boasts a mark of 12 wins from 13 starts for earnings of more than $750,000. Bella Dona’s lone loss came against males, when she ran second in a trial for the New Mexico State Fair Futurity.
Bella Dona has won all of her races on the front end and figures to again be prominent Sunday when she breaks from post 9 under regular rider Luis Fuentes. He’s been aboard for her last six wins.
Bella Dona races for her breeders, Robert Driggers and Del Rae Driggers, as well as Ben Lee Ivey. She is out of the mare Charlotte’s Drone, who was unplaced in two starts but who has produced four stakes winners. They include Tilla Cat, a full sibling to Bella Dona who won the La Coneja in 2018.
Corrina Corrina defeated males in September, when she won the Downs at Albuquerque Derby. Corrina Corrina is making her first start since a Zia allowance sprint win over fillies and mares Dec. 12. Ken Tohill has the mount from post 12 for trainer Gary Cross.
Last year, the La Coneja was won by Slammed, who went on to capture the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America.
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