Marley's Freedom, Bellafina could meet in L.A. Woman

DEL MAR, Calif. – Multiple stakes winners Bellafina and Marley’s Freedom are likely to have their next races at the Santa Anita autumn meeting, and could meet for the first time in the Grade 3 L.A. Woman Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs on Oct. 5.

Trainer Bob Baffert said Thursday that Marley’s Freedom will not be sent to Saratoga for the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes next Saturday, a race she won in 2018.

“I want to freshen her a bit,” Baffert said.

Owned by Cicero Farms, Marley’s Freedom won the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes on July 6 at Los Alamitos. Marley’s Freedom, 5, has won 9 of 18 starts and earned $1,233,935.

Marley’s Freedom was fourth, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs last year. The same race at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 is a year-end goal.

Bellafina, 3, worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds on Friday. Trainer Simon Callaghan said the $100,000 L.A. Woman and the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Sept. 29 are possibilities. Bellafina would face older fillies and mares for the first time in either race.

Bellafina was third, beaten 9 1/4 lengths by Covfeve, as the 2-1 favorite in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at seven furlongs for 3-year-old fillies on Aug. 3 at Saratoga. The Test Stakes was Bellafina’s first start since a fifth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks as the favorite May 3 at Churchill Downs.

“She may have been a little ring rusty,” Callaghan said of the recent loss.

Owned by Kaleem Shah, Bellafina has won 6 of 10 starts and earned $1,162,125. All of the wins have been in stakes.