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Bit Of A Yarn

Bellafina the One to Beat in SA Oaks


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Only four fillies signed on to take a shot at knocking Bellafina (Quality Road) off her pedestal in the GI Santa Anita Oaks Saturday and that will certainly prove to be a tall task. A two-time Grade I winner last term, the bay could only manage fourth as the favorite behind champion Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 2. However, she returned to winning ways in impressive fashion this year in Arcadia, trouncing the GII Santa Ynez S. field by 8 1/2 lengths Jan. 6 and wiring the GII Las Virgenes S. Feb. 9.

Her biggest competition will come from regally-bred ‘TDN Rising Star’ Chasing Yesterday (Tapit). A half-sister to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, the chestnut proved to be plenty talented in her own right with a trio of stakes wins last term, capped off by a victory in the GI Starlet S. at Los Alamitos Dec. 8. The Summer Wind homebred showed her tenacity in her seasonal bow in the Sunland Park Oaks Mar. 24, overcoming a bad break and wide trip to win by 1 1/4 lengths.

Baffert sends out another ‘TDN Rising Star’ in Flor de La Mar (Tiznow). A good-looking five-length graduate in her career bow here Jan. 20, the $500,000 FTSAUG buy weakened to fifth as the favorite last time a sloppy seven-panel optional claimer in Arcadia Mar. 2. The dark bay will navigate two turns for the first time in Saturday’s test.

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