Bellabel comes off the bench to lead the whole way in Megahertz

ARCADIA, Calif. – A slow pace propelled Bellabel to a win in Saturday’s Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes at Santa Anita in her first start in more than 15 months.

Bellabel led by at least a length through an opening half-mile in 48.59 seconds and six furlongs in 1:13.19, and maintained her advantage in the final quarter-mile to win the $101,000 Megahertz Stakes as the favorite.

“We’ll take it,” trainer Phil D’Amato said.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Bellabel ($5.80) finished a length in front of 2-1 Mouffy, who was a nose in front of 10-1 Justique in the turf race for fillies and mares.

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Bellabel finished in 1:36.16 and ran the final quarter-mile in 22.93 seconds. Bellabel earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 87.

“They finished fast,” D’Amato said.

Mouffy, the winner of the Ellis Park Turf Stakes last August, had her California debut in the Megahertz Stakes for trainer Jonathan Thomas and overcame early trouble to be second.

Mouffy was rank early under jockey Kazushi Kimura and raced in fourth and then third in the first-half-mile. She rallied to be second in the stretch.

“We were hoping to get to the lead and she broke in the air a little bit,” Thomas said. “She finished well.”

Justique was followed in the order of finish by Nadette, Yerwanthere, Closing Remarks, and Oakhurst. Closing Remarks, a four-time graded stakes winner in 2023, had her first start of the year in the Megahertz. Sent off as the 2-1 second choice on Saturday, Closing Remarks was never closer than fifth, but closed ground to finished 2 1/4 lengths behind Bellabel.

Bellabel races for the partnership of Agave Racing Stable, Sandra Benowitz, John Rochfort, Michael Nentwig, and Ray Pagano. The Megahertz was Bellabel’s first start since a third in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup for 3-year-old fillies at Keeneland in October 2022.

Bellabel was listed as bought back for $425,000 at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale in 2023. A 5-year-old Irish-bred mare by the Lope de Vega stallion Belardo, Bellabel has won 4 of 10 starts and earned $364,810.

The Megahertz was her third stakes win, and first since the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes at a mile on turf at Del Mar in July 2022.

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