Alpha Bella captures CTT and TOC Stakes. (Benoit Photo)
Del Mar Press
DEL MAR, Calif.—Don Alberto Stable’s homebred Alpha Bella was taken right to the front by rider Hector I. Berrios from her outside Post 10, slowed the pace down noticeably throughout the mile and three-eighths journey and came away a two and three-quarter length winner Friday in the $102,500 CTT and TOC Stakes at sunny and mild Del Mar.
The 5-year-old mare by Triple Crown winner Justify registered her fourth victory (she also has eight seconds) and picked up a check for $60,000 for her efforts that saw her cross the wire ahead of R Unicorn Stable’s Starry Heavens, who was just a neck better than race favorite Mrs. Astor, owned by Augustin Stables.
“I know she had space in the race. I just waited and waited, and then at the half mile, I asked her, and she responded,” said Berrios.
The winner returned $11.40 to her backers in the seaside crowd after covering the marathon distance on the turf in 2:17.32. She now sports earnings of $575,615.
“I told Hector (Berrios) if you get the lead just milk it out there,” said Sadler’s assistant trainer, Juan Leyva.
“I thought it would be an oddly run race because there were only a few speed horses in there and they were coming from the same barn, so I didn’t think they were going to try and kill each other off. It kind of worked out the way I thought it was going to.”
The stakes win was the fourth of the meet for rider Berrios and his second (Private Affair, 2011) in the CTT and TOC. He now has 23 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the third of the meet for trainer Sadler and his second (Black Mamba, 2009) in the CTT and TOC. He now has 89 stakes wins at Del Mar, second most among all trainers.
The winning owners and breeders, Don Alberto Stable, are from Chile.
Racing resumes at Del Mar Saturday with a 10-race card beginning at 2 p.m.
