No mistake about it; Anna Belle best in Winnipeg Sun

Anna Bella, who had raced under the mistaken identity of Smiling until this spring, continued her march upwards in her true guise by capturing Sunday’s $30,000 Winnipeg Sun at Assiniboia Downs.

Anna Bella and Smiling had come from Stonerside Stable divisions in Kentucky and Florida and a mix-up had led to their competing under the wrong names and pedigrees.

Dark Cloud Racing, which owns Anna Bella, saw the bizarre tale come to a storybook conclusion when their 5-year-old upset the 1 1/16-mile Winnipeg Sun, rallying from fourth place under rider Rocco Bowen to score by a neck at 6-1.

Golden Stripe, the 2-1 second choice, had stalked the pace and opened up a 21/2-length lead in midstretch but was unable to hold the winner.

Preservata, favored at 8-5, had seen her seven-race win streak ended by Golden Stripe in the one-mile Canada Day and finished another length back in third in the Winnipeg Sun’s field of seven fillies and mares.

Trained by Carl Anderson, Anna Bella began her current campaign with a second-place finish as Smiling but has now won three straight races.

The Winnipeg Sun marked her stakes debut.