Dawn The Destroyer
Photo Credit Eclipse Sportswire / Breeders’ Cup Photos ©
Bellafina – Bellafina will put her unbeaten Santa Anita racing record, a perfect four-for-four locally, on the line Saturday in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. The daughter of Quality Road had an early morning 1m gallop Thursday under regular exercise rider Humberto Beltran for trainer Simon Callaghan.
“I’m very happy with how she’s doing,” Callaghan said. “Her last few works have been as good as she’s been. She’s coming into the race in good form.”
Bellafina, who could be making her final start for Callaghan, is currently entered in the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
“It’s not guaranteed that this will be her final start. If she runs very well, that might change. She’s one of the best fillies I’ve ever trained,” Callaghan said.
Bellafina also sports a two-for-three lifetime mark at Saturday’s 7f distance.
“After the (1 1/16m) Cotillion, we thought the cutback (in distance) was best for her. I think this is her ideal distance,” Callaghan said. “This is a tough race. I think probably Covfefe is the one to beat. We should be in the second wave of runners, so it might set up for us.”
Come Dancing – After a few easy days of training, Come Dancing was ready for action early Thursday morning and turned in an enthusiastic 1 1/8m gallop, trainer Carlos Martin said.
Regular exercise rider Francisco Tapia was aboard the 5yo Malibu Moon mare owned by Blue Devil Racing Stable for her morning exercise. Martin said Come Dancing had a deliberately slower work Saturday at Belmont Park, walked Sunday, shipped Monday and wasn’t asked for too much Tuesday or Wednesday. Thursday she showed spirit on the track.
Martin said that the winner of four graded stakes this year has done everything right this week in preparation for her first appearance in the Breeders’ Cup.
Come Dancing and regular rider Javier Castellano drew post four in the nine-horse field.
Dawn the Destroyer – Stonestreet Stables LLC’s Dawn the Destroyer galloped 1 3/8m at Santa Anita Thursday morning for her scheduled start in Saturday’s Filly & Mare Sprint.
“It’s a great race shape for her. It’s a tough race, but there is a ton of speed,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “It’s a great race shape.”
The 5yo daughter of Speightstown has been stakes-placed in five of her past six starts, but is winless since capturing the Interborough at Aqueduct in January.
Dawn the Destroyer finished second behind Come Dancing in the 7f Ballerina at Saratoga Aug. 24 before closing from ninth to finish second in the 6f Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland, beaten by just a head by Spiced Perfection.
“She’s improving and doing well,” McLaughlin said. “She worked very well at Keeneland and continues to train well.
”Tyler Gaffalione has the mount aboard Dawn the Destroyer.
Spiced Perfection – Leaving Barn 44 and galloping a mile this morning over the Santa Anita dirt, the Peter Miller-trained Spiced Perfection continues to do well and give her trainer confidence. The Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Peter Deutsch-owned 4yo filly returns to the course and distance at which she won last December’s La Brea.
“She deserves to be here. Today, she just galloped. I’m happy,” Miller said. “She’s coming in fresh and ran really well in Kentucky (a win in the Thoroughbred Club of America) last out.”
John Velazquez will ride the filly for the first time Saturday when they break from the outside post nine in the 7f dash.
More Breeders’ Cup updates here.
