Apparently, brothers named Carl Goose and Roscoe Ganz – Goose being the Americanized version of the German name Ganz – rode winners of the Kentucky Oaks, Carl in 1916, Roscoe three years earlier. Research reveals that since 1991 no equine siblings both won an Oaks, which dates to 1875, and if ever it happened the interwebs missed the memo.
Not only is Bella Ballerina a half-sister to 2023 Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous, she campaigns for the same connections (Godolphin and trainer Brendan Walsh), deploys the same running style, and from the look of her two races might be equally talented.
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“She likes to get out there and get into a rhythm. She’s similar to her sister in the way she likes to cruise along,” Walsh said.
Bella Ballerina notched an eye-catching debut sprint win at Keeneland in October and stretched out Nov. 29 to land the Grade 2 Golden Rod. She makes her 3-year-old bow Saturday at Fair Grounds in the Rachel Alexandra – the same race Pretty Mischievous won in her first start at 3.
Already among the Oaks favorites, Bella Ballerina can secure a spot in the race winning the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra, a 1 1/16-mile contest offering a $350,000 purse and 105 Oaks qualifying points. The 50 that go to the winner will absolutely get her into the Oaks, and Bella Ballerina will be solidly favored to pick up those points.
Eight were entered in the Rachel Alexandra, but no more than seven run – Agripinna will be scratched owing to a cough, trainer Lindsay Schultz said.
Dancin in Old Town looks a little too slow, Classic Glide much too slow, but any of the other Rachel Alexandra four – Just Singing, Powered by Family, Luv Your Neighbor, and Majestical – could give Bella Ballerina a run.
That’s especially true since Walsh walks a fine line bringing Bella Ballerina back for her first start in 2 1/2 months. Connections want a good, solid race and the optionality those qualifying points confer, but Walsh also needs to leave plenty in the tank for spring. Bella Ballerina has simplified Walsh’s task by keeping to her planned winter schedule.
“We have her ready enough, but at the same time I’m trying to leave a little bit still there,” he said.
Bella Ballerina stalked a very strong pace in the 1 1/16-mile Golden Rod and had every right to tire late, which she did while holding by a half-length. With no speed drawn inside her Saturday and not much outside, she looms the likely leader under Tyler Gaffalione.
Luv Your Neighbor has a measure of early pace, and expect new jockey Luis Saez to put her right into the race. Second three times this meet, including narrow losses in the Untapable and the false-paced Silverbulletday last month, Luv Your Neighbor races for the first time in blinkers. From the appearance of her workout Feb. 7, the equipment change could reap rewards.
“She’s a real honest filly anyway, but her work the other day was outstanding,” trainer Michael Stidham said.
Majestical should race prominently, and modest speed figures from her two starts belie the obvious talent the filly has evinced. In her seven-furlong Churchill debut, she had to wait patiently off the turn and into the stretch for traffic to clear, finishing with a strong burst when it did and galloping out far in front after finishing second. Stretched to two turns Dec. 27 at Fair Grounds, Majestical prompted the pace, took over, and won by 4 1/2 lengths despite losing focus, trainer Peter Eurton said, when clear in the homestretch.
“The jockey said when she got to the lead she started looking around,” Eurton said. “She’s much more athletic than we expected her to be. She’s on the scopey side and distance, in my mind, was never going to be an issue.”
Just Singing, and even more so, Powered By Family, have no speed. A smart second-out Churchill maiden route winner, Just Singing got away poorly in the Golden Rod and finished fastest for third, gaining six lengths from the stretch call to the wire. She ships from Florida for her 3-year-old debut, while Fair Grounds-based Powered by Family ran her way into the Rachel Alexandra with a flashy, going-away, second-out maiden route win last month. Powered by Family has her quirks and has broken from the gate poorly in her two races.
“She’s a little temperamental. We’ve done a lot of schooling with her,” said trainer Cherie DeVaux, who was impressed by Powered by Family’s sustained run in her maiden win. “When asked, she engaged right away and continued down the lane without hesitation.”
Powered by Family has talent, for sure. Bella Ballerina has family history on her side.
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