Belleski wins Senator Ken Maddy again
Mr. & Mrs. Jerome Moss’s BELLESKI (Polish Numbers) faced a
stiff challenge from the classy Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill)
leaving the hill in Wednesday’s $100,000 Sen. Ken Maddy H.
(G3),
but the five-year-old mare proved too good for her rival down the
stretch, pulling clear late for a half-length decision. Now five-for-five
over the turf at Santa Anita, Belleski defended her title in the
Oak Tree Racing Association’s opening day feature.
With a confident Corey Nakatani in the irons, the John Sadler
trainee completed the about 6 1/2-furlong grassy affair for
distaffers in a snappy 1:12 4/5 over the firm turf and returned $5.20,
$2.40 and $2.10 to her backers as the 8-5 favorite.
“Boy, that was fun wasn’t it?” Nakatani said. “She
really relishes it (the downhill course). What more can you say?
She runs down there, she lays her body down every time and gives
her best effort. And to beat that other filly (Intercontinental)
is pretty special too.”
Intercontinental, the 9-5 second choice, finished two lengths
clear in second and paid $2.60 and $2.20. Acago (Royal Academy)
closed from last for third, a nose better than 47-1 longshot
Navaja (NZ) (Daggers Drawn), and was good for $2.20. The $1
exotics totaled $6.70 (exacta), $13.80 (trifecta) and $51.10 for
the 2-8-1-3 superfecta.
Fencelineneighbor (Wild Rush) came next under the wire and was
followed by Festival (Jpn) (Assatis), pacesetter Lady Sabrina (Patton),
Stormica (Storm Cat) and Polygreen (Fr) (Green Tune). Bonaire (GB)
(Air Express) was scratched.
Belleski’s only stakes wins have come in the Sen. Ken Maddy.
She placed in the Royal Heroine S. (G3) and Osunitas H. last
season and now owns a 14-7-2-1 line with $344,586 in earnings.
Bred in Kentucky by David Garvin, David Camball et al, the bay
mare was purchased for $150,000 by her current owners at the 2000
Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She’s the first registered foal out of
the winning Alysheba mare Rangoon Belle and has an unraced
juvenile half-sister named Thunder Belle (Thunder Gulch).
Sadler said Belleski could make her next appearance on the
Breeders’ Cup undercard at Lone Star Park or face males in the
October 30 Morvich H. at Santa Anita.