Bella Dona seeks 10th straight stakes win in Mt. Cristo Rey Handicap
Bella Dona will have her work cut out for her Sunday when she attempts to win her 10th consecutive race in the $100,000 Mt. Cristo Rey Handicap at Sunland Park.
Bella Dona will be making her first start since October and facing male rivals in the Mt. Cristo Rey, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up bred in New Mexico. She will be break from post 11 in the field of 12 and is co-highweighted at 123 pounds with Hollywood Henry.
Bella Dona has not made a wrong move dating back to Sept. 19, 2021. She began her streak that day, when defeating male rivals in the $232,000 New Mexico State Fair Futurity at the Downs of Albuquerque. Bella Dona has since won nothing but stakes, all in races restricted to horses bred in New Mexico.
Bella Dona, who was scratched from a stakes earlier this meet at Sunland, breezed five-eighths in 59.40 seconds Feb. 28 as part of her prep work for Sunday. Luis Fuentes has the mount for trainer Simon Buechler.
The 4-year-old daughter of Attila’s Storm races for her breeders, Robert and Del Rae Driggers, and Ben Lee Ivey.