The TDN Kentucky Oaks Top 10 For Feb. 19: Bella Ballerina Makes A Big Move

[Wandering Eyes]

There was only one graded stakes race on the road to the GI Kentucky Oaks this weekend, but it was a big one. The GII Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes has produced 12 winners of the Oaks. The list includes last year's Oaks champion Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) and 2023 winner Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief). So, it meant something when Bella Ballerina (Street Sense) scored a game victory to win the race by a half-length, especially when you consider that she is a half-sister to Pretty Mischievous.

So, here goes, your latest Top 10:

1) ZANY (American Pharoah–Mo' Green, by Uncle Mo) O-Repole Stable; B-D.J. Stable (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $350,000 yrl '24 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record:GSW, 3-3-0-0, $221,500. Last Start: Won Feb. 7 Suncoast Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 30.

As good a race as Bella Ballerina ran in the Rachel Alexandra, Zany remains in the top spot and may stay there until she has her next start, which is scheduled for the Apr. 3 GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes at Keeneland. She was not ultra-impressive when winning the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, but you can count on her being an improved horse in the Ashland. It was notable in the Suncoast that she lugged in. Here's what Todd Pletcher had to say about her failure to keep a straight course: “We will not try to overthink it since she's three-for-three. But we will continue to focus on keeping her straight when she changes leads.” She showed tremendous talent when romping in last year's GII Demoiselle Stakes. If that horse shows up on Kentucky Oaks Day, all the rest may be running for second money.

2) BELLA BALLERINA (Street Sense–Pretty City Dancer, by Tapit) O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P Walsh. Lifetime Record: MGSW, 3-3-0-0, $301,525. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard.' Last Start: Won Feb. 14 GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 60.

As well-bred as they come and from the powerful Godolphin team, Bella Ballerina still had something to prove in the Rachel Alexandra. In her only other stakes appearance, last year's GII Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs, she did win, but nearly squandered a 3 1/2-length lead in the stretch. The final margin of victory was a half-length. She didn't blow them away this time, either. In fact, she lost the lead in mid-stretch, but battled back to win in a professional effort. “I thought it was a very game performance,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “When she was coming down the stretch, it looked like she was beaten. I thought to myself, 'You know, she's run well. We've got what we needed to get out of it. She'll improve a ton the next time she starts back up again.' I thought, 'Well, OK, we'll take that.' But yes, it was just a game performance on her part. It's the first time she's ever been headed.” Her winning Beyer number Saturday was an 84. The March 21 GII Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks will likely be next for her.

Bella Ballerina | Hodges Photography

3) MEANING (Gun Runner–Figure of Speech, by Into Mischief) O-Bridlewood Farm & Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-Stonehaven Steadings (KY); T-Michael McCarthy. Sales history: $440,000 yrl '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: SW, 3-2-0-0, $187,000. Last Start: Won Feb. 8 Las Virgenes Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 26.

The good news:  she beat two pretty tough customers in Explora (Blame) and Super Corredora (Gun Runner) in the Las Virgenes Stakes. The bad news: she had a perfect trip behind battling leaders. It was her first start since she was a non-threatening fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, but there's no reason why she couldn't have improved over the winter. As of now, the California-based fillies don't look like a strong group. Meaning may be the best of that bunch. Trainer Michael McCarthy has said that the April 4 GII Santa Anita Oaks Presented by Surfside will be next for his filly.

4) LUV YOUR NEIGHBOR (Constitution–Disobedient, by Into Mischief) O-Lael Stables; B-Anderson Farms Ont Inc & 552727 Ontario Ltd (ON); T-Michael Stidham. Sales history: $350,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 6-1-4-0, $164,071. Last Start: 2nd Feb. 14 GII Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 40.

If you liked Bella Ballerina's race in the Rachel Alexandra, you probably had to like the effort turned in by Luv Your Neighbor. She gave the 4-5 favorite fits the entire length of the stretch and looked like she had the race won. Was Bella Ballerina that game or did Luv Your Neighbor lack fight when it counted? It's an important question, as she has now run second in four straight starts, losing each time by less than a length. In her lone victory, she won by just a nose. Trainer Michael Stidham needs to figure out how to get a little something extra out of her, but, if he does, she might just prove to be among the upper echelon of this division.

5) TAKEN BY THE WIND (Rock Your World–Up for Grabs, by First Samurai) O-Magdalena Racing, Terry Bradshaw, Graham Leveston, Raasi Stable; B-Courtney L. Meagher (FL); T-Kenneth G McPeek. Sales History: $70,000 yrl '24 FTKJUL; $20,000 yrl '24 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-3-0-0, $270,710. Last Start: Won Jan. 17 Silverbulletday Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 30.

If not for the Kenny McPeek factor, this horse would be rated lower. Yes, she won the Silverbulletday Stakes by only a neck in her 3-year-old debut. But McPeek, who has had so much success with fillies of late, sees something in her. “You watch,” he said. “She'll win the next one, and I think she has a very good chance of winning the Oaks. This is a very good filly. She does everything right.” McPeek reports that Taken by the Wind will have her next start in the March 1 GIII Honeybee Stakes at Oaklawn. It would be “good for the game” to see her prosper as NFL Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw is a part owner and would no doubt be an entertaining part of an entourage come Oaks Day.

Taken By the Wind | Sarah Andrew

6) LIFE OF JOY (Gun Runner–Jordayn's Leo, by Malibu Moon) O-Will Stroud, Andrew Farm, Mountmellick Farm & For the People Racing Stable LLC; B-Springhouse Farm (KY); T-Brad H Cox. Sales history: $375,000 yrl '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: SW, 4-2-1-0, $180,260. Last Start: Second in Feb. 7 Suncoast Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 22.

The Brad Cox-trained filly turned in a strong effort behind Zany in the Suncoast, finishing second. She also held her own against Bella Ballerina when fourth in the Golden Rod. Before that, she was a 2 1/4-length winner of the Rags to Riches Stakes. Like McPeek, Cox has done some of his best work with fillies. It's not a coincidence that he has won the Oaks three times in a short stretch of just seven years. The Fair Grounds Oaks will be next for her.

7) EXPLORA (Blame–Collections Choice, by Bernardini) O-Michael Pegram, Karl Watson & Paul Weitman; B-Mesingw Farm (KY); T-Bob Baffert. Sales History: $22,000 yrl '24 KEESEP; $350,000 2yo '25 FTMMAY. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard.' Lifetime Record: GSW & MGISP, 5-3-2-0, $628,000. Last Start: Second Feb. 8 Las Virgenes Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 45.

Don't ever give up on Bob Baffert. He has won the Oaks three times, and no one in the history of the sport is better at having horses peak for the biggest races. Her 3-year-old debut in the Las Virgenes didn't go as planned. She got caught up in a speed duel with rival Super Corredora and didn't have enough left in the tank to hold off Meaning. The positive is that she held in there a lot better than Super Corredora, who finished last. She far from embarrassed herself and could easily rebound next out with a better trip.

8) SEARCH PARTY (Gun Runner–Devious Charm, by Into Mischief) O/B-Tracy Farmer (KY); T-Mark Casse. Lifetime Record: 6-2-1-2, $276,211. Last Start: Won Feb. 6 Martha Washington Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 20.

It took this Mark Casse-trained filly four starts to break her maiden, but since the light bulb went off, she's been good. She won an Oaklawn maiden by six lengths and came right back to win the Martha Washington Stakes by a neck. By Gun Runner out of an Into Mischief mare, she certainly has the pedigree. “Irad (Ortiz, Jr.) rode her in two of the races she lost and he came back both times and apologized,” Casse said. “He said, 'I was the best.' She was breaking just a little slow and then got herself in some trouble. When she broke her maiden at Oaklawn, I thought she was very impressive. In the Martha Washington, she got in a little trouble again, but I thought it was a good performance. I'm not sure it was a great performance, but it was a good performance. If she's going to be an Oaks filly down the road, she's going to have to improve. Her pedigree and her physique say she should get better.”

Search Party | Coady Media

9) DAZZLING DAME (Girvin–Awesome Dama, by Corinthian) O-Respect the Valleys LLC; B-Maria M Haire (MD); T-Brittany T Russell. Sales History: $50,000 RNA wlg '23 KEENOV: $65,000 yrl '24 OBSJAN; $45,000 2yo '25 OBSMAR. Lifetime Record: MSW, 5-4-0-0, $240,525. Last Start: Won Jan. 3 Busanda Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 22.

Her 91 Beyer she earned when winning the Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct remains the fastest number turned in so far this year by any 3-year-old filly. She didn't have a published workout from Jan. 23 to Feb. 12, but trainer Brittany Russell reports that the filly is still on track for the Mar. 14 Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs. Russell has won only six graded stakes in her career, but she's a force in Maryland and is not to be underestimated.

10) SUPER CORREDORA (Gun Runner–Super Simple, by Super Saver) O-Spartan Equine Racing LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, Robert Gardiner & Michael Olszewki; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds (KY); T-John Sadler. Sales History: $400,000 yrl '24 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Filly, GISW, 5-2-1-0, $1,099,600. Last Start: Fourth Feb. 8 Las Virgenes Stakes. Kentucky Oaks Points: 34.

Probably too early to give up on a filly that was a GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner and an Eclipse Award winner, but her return effort in the Las Virgenes was just not good. She'll get her chance to show that that race was a fluke in her next start, which will likely be in the Mar. 1 GIII Santa Ysabel Stakes. If she doesn't fare well there, it might be time to consider a sprinting career for her.

The post The TDN Kentucky Oaks Top 10 For Feb. 19: Bella Ballerina Makes A Big Move appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article