Bellafina turned in another facile display of domination in Southern California’s juvenile filly division Saturday with a 6 1/2-length romp in the $300,000 Chandelier (G1) at Santa Anita Park.
Adding to prior wins in the Sorrento (G2) and Del Mar Debutante (G1), Bellafina now heads to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) with an automatic “Win & You’re In” bid and 10 points earned in the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series.
A stalking second to Vibrance most of the way, Bellafina poked her head in front after six furlongs and extended her lead through the stretch under Flavien Prat. Owned by Kaleem Shah and trained by Simon Callaghan, Bellafina covered 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.59 and paid $3.80 as the 9-10 favorite.
“I think the big key today was to see her relax, and going two turns that was very important,” Callaghan said. “We took the blinkers off – it was a decision I thought would benefit her. She was so relaxed today. The race set up about how we hoped, she relaxed and was breathing throughout, and then kicked at the end. I think that’s about all you could ever hope for.”
Vibrance held second, 4 1/2 lengths ahead of Brill. Der Lu and Del Mar May completed the order of finish after the scratch of Del Mar Debutante runner-up Mother Mother.
Second in her debut at Los Alamitos on July 4, Bellafina captured both the Sorrento and Del Mar Debutante by margins of 4 1/4 lengths. Her career earnings are now $488,000.
Bred in Kentucky by JSM Equine, Bellafina was an $800,000 Fasig-Tipton March purchase at two. She’s by Quality Road and out of the stakes-placed Akron Moon, by Malibu Moon. Her full brother is multiple stakes winner Diamond King, a scheduled participant in Sunday’s Oklahoma Derby (G3).
Further back, this is the female family of 1977 champion turf horse Johnny D.
