Bellafina ready to tie a bow on her preparation for Kentucky Oaks

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bellafina, the top points earner and solid favorite, is scheduled to be sent through her final pre-race work for the Kentucky Oaks on Friday at Santa Anita prior to being flown Monday to Churchill Downs.

Trainer Simon Callaghan, speaking this week from the Ocala sale in Florida, said Bellafina will have a five-furlong solo work with jockey Flavien Prat aboard.

“She’s doing great, and we’re very happy with her,” Callaghan said. “She worked well last week, and we like where she’s at.”

Bellafina, owned by Kaleem Shah, ran fourth as the 19-10 favorite behind Jaywalk here last fall in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. Since then, however, the two have gone in different directions, with Bellafina winning all three of her starts this year and Jaywalk being soundly defeated in both of hers.

As a result, it appears that Bellafina will be a clear-cut favorite in the 145th Oaks on May 3.

“Based on how she’s done this year, yes, it appears that she should be favored,” said Callaghan, who will arrive here Tuesday. “But these races are never easy, and we have great respect for the competition.”

A full gate of 14 3-year-old fillies remains highly probable for the Grade 1, $1 million Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile race for which entries will be taken Monday. As of Wednesday, and with riders, this is the prospective lineup: Bellafina, Prat; Champagne Anyone, Chris Landeros; Chocolate Kisses, Julien Leparoux; Flor de La Mar, Joel Rosario; Jaywalk, Javier Castellano; Jeltrin, Luis Saez; Lady Apple, Ricardo Santana Jr.; Liora, Channing Hill; Motion Emotion, Mike Smith; Out for a Spin, Irad Ortiz Jr.; Positive Spirit, Manny Franco; Restless Rider, Brian Hernandez Jr.; Serengeti Empress, Tyler Gaffalione; and Street Band, Sophie Doyle.

An also-eligibles list of as many as four fillies can be maintained, with Cookie Dough (Jeffrey Sanchez) and Dunbar Road (Jose Ortiz) being the first two alternates on the points list.