Bella Ballerina fought down the stretch to take the $289,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in her first start as a 3-year-old Feb. 14. It is deja vu for trainer Brendan Walsh, owner/breeder Godolphin, and jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who won this race three years ago with her half sister, Pretty Mischievous .
In the 1 1/16-mile race, the 3-year-old daughter of Street Sense broke a bit awkwardly, but recovered quickly and went right to the front, setting an opening quarter of :23.40. She continued to lead the field down the backstretch in :46.98 under confident handling from Gaffalione. On the far turn, Michael Stidham trainee Luv Your Neighbor , who had been stalking in second, loomed up on the outside to confront the leader. As the two fillies turned for home, Luv Your Neighbor looked to have had the race wrapped up, edging by Bella Ballerina to lead midstretch. But Bella Ballerina dug in at the rail, fought back late, and prevailed in the Rachel Alexandra by a half-length in a final time of 1:43.38. Luv Your Neighbor finished second, and Kent Sweezey’s Just Singing came in third.
Bella Ballerina, b, 3/f…