Bellafina comes through as heavy favorite in Santa Anita Oaks

ARCADIA, Calif. – Bellafina will take a perfect record this season to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks on May 3.

On Saturday at Santa Anita, Bellafina ($2.60) overcame a wide trip to win the Grade 1 Santa Anita Oaks by a convincing 5 1/4 lengths, beating three overmatched rivals. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Bellafina has won six graded stakes in her eight-race career.

Bellafina raced on the outside throughout the $392,000 Santa Anita Oaks, a position that did not concern Prat. He chose a wider path instead of saving ground behind runners.

“I didn’t want to get in tight, and I thought she was comfortable,” Prat said.

Bellafina was four wide on the first turn and three wide on the second turn before taking the lead entering the stretch. Prat said Bellafina benefited by racing behind fillies.

“I think she needs a target,” he said. “There’s not much more we can expect better than this.”

Bellafina ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.47 on a track that has produced slow times in the last week. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 89.

“She did everything you want,” trainer Simon Callaghan said. “I liked the way she relaxed.”

Flor de La Mar (6-1) and Chasing Yesterday (5-2) finished second and third for trainer Bob Baffert, while 30-1 Slewgoodtobetrue was a well-beaten last of four. Stirred was withdrawn on Saturday morning.

Flor de La Mar had her stakes debut in the Santa Anita Oaks, her third start. She led briefly on the backstretch when urged to the front by jockey Joel Rosario.

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“I was in a nice spot,” Rosario said. “I didn’t want to wait for Flavien. I decided to move forward.

“She ran well. The winner was much the best today. It was a good effort.”

Chasing Yesterday, a half-sister to 2015 Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah, had her second start of 2019 in the Santa Anita Oaks. The winner of the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos in December, Chasing Yesterday won the Sunland Park Oaks on March 24.

Bellafina, owned by Kaleem Shah, heads the list of contenders for the Kentucky Oaks. She won the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes at seven furlongs in January and the Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes at a mile Feb. 9. By Quality Road, Bellafina has won 6 of 8 starts and earned $1,068,000. The Santa Anita Oaks was worth $240,000 to the winner.

Bellafina’s losses were a second in a maiden race at Los Alamitos last July and a fourth as the favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs in November.