Bella Dona out to show she's still got it in La Senora
Bella Dona made a splash last year at 2, when she won five of her six starts. She will launch her 3-year-old season Sunday in the $100,000 La Senora at Sunland Park and her rivals include the only filly she’s ever lost to, I’ve Got It.
The La Senora is restricted to 3-year-old fillies bred in New Mexico. The six-furlong race drew a full field of 10.
Bella Dona will be giving up recency to some of her rivals as the La Senora will be her first start since October. I’ve Got It will be making her first start since September.
The fillies met last August at the Downs at Albuquerque. Bella Dona had won the first three starts of her career up to that point and was the 4-5 favorite in a trial race for the New Mexico State Fair Futurity. I’ve Got It pulled the upset, winning the trial by 1 1/2 lengths over runner-up Bella Dona.
Bella Dona would rebound to win the finale, then added the $100,000 New Mexico Cup Lassie for good measure in her final start of the year Oct. 31 at Zia Park. Bella Dona won a total of three stakes last year, and two of them came over the six-furlong distance of the La Senora.
Lindey Wade has the mount from post 3 for trainer Simon Buechler. Bella Dona races for her breeders, Robert M. Driggers and Del Rae Driggers, as well as Ben Lee Ivey. She is a daughter of Attila’s Storm and a full sister to multiple stakes winner Tilla and a half-sister to stakes winner Lariat.
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I’ve Got It also is a daughter of Attila’s Storm, who on the track was a Grade 3 winner of more than $500,000. I’ve Got It, who in her last start finished fifth in the New Mexico State Fair Futurity, will break from post 9 under Rigo Sarmiento. She is owned by J & SM Inc. and Jimmy Childs and is trained by Fred Danley.
I’ve Got It is out of the mare Hang Glide, who had five consecutive colts before her first filly. I’ve Got It is a full sister to the stakes-winning colts Thermal, an earner of $458,332, as well as Reaper, a four-time stakes winner, and Another Brother. Hang Glide has a stakes-winning daughter in Flight Song, who also is a full sister to I’ve Got It.