Bellavais takes inside route to victory in Marshua's River Stakes
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After coming off an eventful trip from along the rail in her previous start, Bellevais found the inside the place to be in Saturday’s $100,000 Marshua’s River, drawing off to a convincing 3 1/2-length victory over the pacesetting I’m Betty G. in the Grade 3 event for fillies and mares. Valedictorian finished a head farther back in third.
Bellavais completed a graded stakes sweep on the day for Castellano, who earlier won the Tropical Turf aboard Doctor Mounty.
Bellavais steadied in traffic and even bounced off the inside fence en route to a fourth place finish four weeks earlier in the Grade 3 My Charmer. Bellavais drew the rail once again for the Marshua’s River and again saved ground while racing in mid-pack during the early running. Bellavais tipped out briefly looking for clearance in early stretch, found that alley blocked, angling back to the rail near the furlong grounds before exploding to an impressive win. I’m Betty G. held gamely once relinquishing the lead to the winner, outlasting Valedictorian to finish second.
Bellavais is a 5-year-old daughter of Tapit owned by Bortolazzo Stable LLC and trained by Todd Pletcher. She covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.98 and returned $6.60.
“There were a couple of things about the last race,” said Pletcher. “Unfortunately, it rained that day and she’d just come off running a mile in 1:33 on firm ground, and I think they ran in 1:39 that day, so it gives you an idea how soft the inside course was. She also got into a little trouble last time and got bounced off the rail, that didn’t help. I loved the way she was training coming into the race, she drew the rail again, and when the hole opened, she shot through it like a star.”
