Rodriguez gets first graded-stakes win aboard Bellezza in Sheepshead Bay

Bellezza, a 4-year-old filly trained by Christophe Clement, won her North American debut in the Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack on Friday. Jockey Jaime Rodriguez earned the first graded-stakes victory of his career, patiently waiting behind glacial opening fractions and powering home along the rail to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

“I know we are walking [on the pace] because she was playing with her ears and everything,” Rodriguez said. “Every time I asked her a little bit, she gave me more. I was loaded, and I was just waiting for the moment. They opened the run, she hit the clear, and she exploded.”

In a short field of five traveling 1 3/8 miles on the turf, no one seemed intent on establishing an early lead, leaving 6-year-old mare Whatlovelookslike to run a 26-second quarter-mile in each of the first three splits. All five runners were within five lengths of one another heading into the far turn, at which point the pace quickened in a sprint for home.

Beach Bomb, a two-time stakes winner this winter trained by Graham Motion, made the first bid outside of the early leader but struggled to move past at the top of the stretch. By the time the 5-year-old mare stuck a head out in front, Bellezza was already charging up the rail. The Irish-bred filly had not raced since September but didn’t show any signs of rust, easily pulling away near the wire. She completed the race in 2:18.29 and paid $22.40 to win.

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Beach Bomb, who won both races in Florida on the front end, had to settle for second and finished 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Silvology, a 4-year-old filly who closed from fifth to earn a minor prize in a three-way photo for third.

The Clement barn had been preparing Bellezza for her stateside debut for several months at Payson Park Training Center in Florida. Her four opponents had all spent the winter racing against one another at Gulfstream, but she overpowered them as a fresh face.

“She’s trained well. She was one we wanted in a stakes first time out,” Clement said. “She got a great ride from Jaime Rodriguez and she finished very well.”

Clement has no immediate plans for the filly and will handle her patiently after her first start of the year. His other runner in the race, 6-year-old mare La Mehana, finished fourth, and he said that he expected more from her and would soon get to the bottom of the disappointing performance.

Rodriguez, the current leading rider at Laurel Park, previously finished second in graded-stakes races at Laurel, Parx Racing, and Penn National. His family was in attendance to see his first graded-stakes victory against a classy field in New York.

“[I’m] happy. My kids are here and I feel so good,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve got to enjoy it and have fun.”

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