Bellera finds no mishap in Comely Stakes victory

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Though Bellera crossed the finish line first in the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm Handicap here on Nov. 2, it didn’t count as she stumbled and unseated jockey Jose Lezcano at the start of the race.

Fortunately for her connections, Bellera came out of that mishap unscathed and on Friday she crossed the finish line first in the Grade 3, $250,000 Comely Stakes at Aqueduct, this time with Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez on her back.

Bellera pressed the pace-setting Gold Standard through modest fractions, took over outside the eighth pole, and gradually drew clear to win the Comely by 1 3/4 lengths over the previously undefeated Arrifana. It was three-quarters of a length back to Gold Standard in third.

Bellera, a daughter of Bernardini owned by Bill and Terry Mathis and trained by Todd Pletcher, won for the third time in six starts. Her proven ability at 1 1/8 miles made both the Turnback the Alarm, against older horses, and the Comely, restricted to 3-year-old fillies, attractive.

“We were looking for a graded opportunity going nine furlongs,” Pletcher said.

Velazquez had not previously ridden Bellera and Pletcher told him just to make sure the filly got into a comfortable rhythm. That proved to be just outside of Gold Standard, who under Javier Castellano set modest fractions of 24.33 seconds for the quarter, 49.69 for the half and 1:15.22 for six furlongs.

Bellera took over from Gold Standard above the eighth pole, though she tried to come in a step when Velazquez asked her with the whip. Velazquez got her straightened out quickly and she continued on straight to get the victory.

“She looked like she got to looking around a little bit, but it still looked like there was plenty in the tank,” Pletcher said.

Bellera covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.91 and returned $11.80 to win as the third choice.

Arrifana was sitting behind a trio of horses down the backstretch, tipped into the clear turning for home, but could not catch Bellera. That was Arrifana’s first loss after beginning her career with four straight wins.

“Just got stuck behind a slow pace,” said Julian Pimentel, rider of Arrifana. “I didn’t get away as well as I wanted to and I got stuck behind horses. She did finish, they were just going too slow.”

Gold Standard finished third, 9 1/4 lengths clear of Afleet Destiny. Classic Fit, Oxy Lady, Lightscameraaction, and Stand for the Flag completed the order of finish.

Pletcher would like to keep Bellera at two-turn races going 1 1/8 miles, which could make the $100,000 Ladies Stakes here on Jan. 19 an option.