Golden State Series—Betty Grable Stakes
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Prat was winning his ffth consecutive Betty Grable, having already scored with Mo See Cal (2020), Queen Bee to You (2019), Spiced Perfection (2018), and Majestic Heat (2017). Simon Callaghan trains the California-bred, who now has a record of four wins, fve seconds, and a third in 13 starts for earnings of $346,722. “Tis looked like a good opportunity (for Bella Vita) back on dirt,” Callaghan said after the race. “She’s defnitely a dirt flly. We tried turf last time because it was a restricted Cal-bred race, but she shows she’s a decent dirt flly and this was a good spot for her.” Bella Vita has one of the classiest pedigrees in California. By Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Bayern, Bella Vita is out of the unraced Storm Cat mare Queenie Cat, who in turn is out of Strawberry Reason. A graded stakes winner, Strawberry Reason produced champion Kaleem Shah’s Bella Vita scores an easy victory in the Betty Grable Stakes at Del Mar and 2002 Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Vindication, as well as stakes winners Scipion and In Step and grade 2-placed Blackberry Road and Japan grade 2-placed True Reason. Queenie Cat has produced six winners from seven starters. Bella Vita is her Big Sweep went to the lead. Fractions lone stakes winner, reaching that mark BELLA VITA LIVES fell in :23.20 and :46.17 when Bella Vita Feb. 21, when she took the $101,000 THE GOOD LIFE swept to the lead and held of a closing Spring Fever Stakes sprinting at Santa Warren’s Showtime by 11⁄2 lengths at the Anita. Bella Vita the previous year had IN BETTY GRABLE wire. Te fnal time was 1:22.23. already placed in both the $106,000 BY EMILY SHIELDS “We had a good trip,” Prat said. “I got China Doll Stakes and the $152,500 ust three weeks after losing to a good spot, and we were able to move Evening Jewel Stakes, then went to the Warren’s Showtime in the Cal- when it was right. She ran well and we sidelines for nine months. Since her return—and the Spring Fever victoifornia Distaf Handicap, Bella fnished up well.” ry—Bella Vita has placed Vita turned the tables on that rival in the $101,000 Irish and won the $100,000 Betty GraO’Brien Stakes and ran ble Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 7. second behind top flly Despite losing last out, Bella Vita still Gamine in the $200,000 went favored at 3-5 in the seven-furlong Great Lady M Stakes (G2) contest. Te last race had been on turf, at Los Alamitos. and this was on dirt, where Bella Vita exBella Vita, bred by Hill ‘n’ cels. Te 4-year-old daughter of Bayern— Dale Equine Holdings Inc., Queenie Cat, by Storm Cat, had won an originally sold for $75,000 allowance optional claiming race over the as a Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Del Mar main course during the summer fall yearling, then was pinmeeting Aug. 29 and set out to prove herhooked for $400,000 at the self against fve rivals in the Betty Grable. 2019 Ocala Breeders’ Sales’ Under jockey Flavien Prat, the Kaleem Owner Kaleem Shah, right, and jockey Flavien Prat enjoy the April spring sale of 2-yearShah runner tucked back in third while limelight in the winner’s circle olds.
STAR MAKER
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CALIFORNIA THOROUGHBRED ❙ December 2021 ❙ www.ctba.com
