Bellafina will headline a five-horse field of prime 3-yr-old fillies in the Grade 2, $200,000, Las Virgenes Stakes, Saturday at Santa Anita. Coming off a dominant 8-1/2 length victory in her most recent outing in The Santa Ynez Stakes, Bellafina is listed as the 2/5 ML favorite and will be running against similar company. She’ll stretch out an extra furlong in this mile event and will again face, Mother Mother who ran second and Tomlin who finished third in the Santa Ynez.
As part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series, this race will offer points towards the big race to the top four finishers on a 10-4-2-1 basis.
Santa Anita, Race 5 The Las Virgenes Stakes Purse $200,000 Distance: 1 Mile on the Dirt for 3-yr.-old Fillies Post Time 1:35 PT
Note: Bellafina will carry 124 lbs. while every other filly will carry 120 lbs.
#1) CALF MOON BAY 12/1 Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer Jockey: Joel Rosario
This lady is a tad interesting as she enters this race sharp and in good form, has good bloodlines and great connections. She tries stakes company for the first time but is saddling up off two wins against lesser. She’s a good notch or two short in the numbers department but could beat one or two home today.
#2) ENAYA ALRABB 4/1 Trainer: Doug O’Neil Jockey: Mike Smith
Ran too good to lose when she was last seen finishing second to highly regarded Chasing Yesterday in the G-1 Starlet Stakes going 1-1/16 miles at Los Alamitos on December 8. In that race she went off at odds of over 30/1 and just missed by a short head. Seems like the main danger to the queen.
#3) BELLAFINA 2/5 Trainer: Simon Callaghhan Jockey: Flavien Pratt
She was last seen winning The Santa Ynez Stakes by 8-1/2 lengths under wraps against similar. This girl is the class and the speed and doesn’t have to beat but four lesser foes. The standout is long gone, at 2/5.
#4) MOTHER MOTHER 7/2 Trainer: Bob Baffert Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke
Ran a nice, yet a distant second to Bellafina in the Santa Ynez Stakes but has yet to win around two turns. Sports blinkers today and will be forwardly placed but a minor slice seems to be the best she could hope for here.
#5) TOMLIN 15/1 Trainer: Steven Specht Jockey: Tyler Baze
3/6 career filly ran a credible third to Mother Mother and owns a stakes win on synthetic at Golden Gate but seems way up against it here.
SELECTIONS:
#3) BELLAFINA (2/5) Speed, Class; Gone
#2) ENAYA ALRABB (4/1) Clear 2nd choice
#1) CALF MOON BAY (12/1) A lot to like
