By Alan Carasso
Godolphin homebred Bella Ballerina (Street Sense), a half-sister to champion and GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) whose lone previous trip to the post resulted in a 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard-worthy debut sprinting over six furlongs at Keeneland Oct. 5, successfully stretched out to two turns Saturday afternoon in the GII Golden Rod Stakes, hitting the front at midstretch before holding off a late lunge from fellow 'Rising Star' Atropa (Into Mischief). The winner earns 10 points on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Oaks.
Bet down from a morning line of 10-1 to be just over 4-1 at the off–in large measure owing to the scratching of 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Explora (Blame)–Bella Ballerina caught a flyer from the outside stall and was soon in front, but that lead was short-lived, as the previously undefeated New York-bred Letmecounttheways (Yaupon) speared through after a sluggish dispatch and went winging on the front end, opening a yawning margin through unsustainable fractions of :23.45 and :46.31.
With the pacesetter odds-on to feel the pinch when push came to shove, Bella Ballerina found herself in the right spot to have first crack, and they hit the lead as Letmecounttheways predictably hoisted the white flag in the stretch. Atropa, a 10-length maiden winner first-time long in her most recent start, began to make inroads as did local maiden winner Just Singing (Justify). Bella Ballerina began to tire with a sixteenth of a mile to race, shortening stride noticeably, and despite swapping over to her left lead late, just managed to scrape home in the nick of time.
Essential Coffee (Nyquist) stumbled at the break from gate two, tossing jockey Corey Lanerie. Neither horse nor jockey was injured.
“Going from a sprint to her first time around two turns there can always be some questions but we were confident in her that she'd be able to handle it today,” winning rider Tyler Gaffalione said. “All the credit goes to Brendan and his team for having her ready to do that. She really showed up for us today. It just made my job easier.”
Pedigree Notes:
The 107th worldwide black-type winner and 45th international group/graded winner for Street Sense, Bella Ballerina is one of four winners from as many to race from her dam, who created a Tapit dead-heat for the victory in the 2016 GI Spinaway Stakes, sharing the spoils with Sweet Loretta.
Pretty City Dancer was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed's operation for $3.5 million in foal to Medaglia d'Oro at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale and her second produce was Pretty Mischievous, the Eclipse Award-winning 3-year-old of 2023 on the back of her victory in Oaks, the GI Acorn Stakes and a somber renewal of the GI Test Stakes.
A half-sister to GISW Lear's Princess (Lear Fan), Pretty City Dancer is the dam of a yearling full-brother to Pretty Mischievous, was barren to Into Mischief for 2025 and is due to Gun Runner for her 2026 foal.
👯 Bella Ballerina holds on to win the G2 Golden Rod and earns 10 points towards the Kentucky Oaks! @brenpwalsh trains and @tyler_gaff was aboard.
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/ZT8yZ4yASo
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) November 29, 2025
Saturday, Churchill Downs
GOLDEN ROD S.-GII, $397,375, Churchill Downs, 11-29, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.50, ft.
1–BELLA BALLERINA, 122, f, 2, by Street Sense
1st Dam: Pretty City Dancer (GISW, $286,344), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Pretty City, by Carson City
3rd Dam: Pretty Special, by Riverman
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh; J-Tyler Gaffalione.
$238,440. 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Lifetime
Record: 2-2-0-0, $301,525. *1/2 to Pretty Mischievous (Into
Mischief), Ch. 3-year-old Filly, MGISW, $2,112,560.
Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Atropa, 122, f, 2, Into Mischief–Bellera, by Bernardini.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($450,000 Ylg
'24 KEESEP). O-Belladonna Racing LLC, Twin Brook Stables,
Woodford Racing LLC and B.C.W.T. Ltd.; B-Stonestreet
Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. 'TDN
Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' $77,400.
3–Just Singing, 122, f, 2, Justify–Talkin and Singing, by
Songandaprayer. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK
TYPE. ($300,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Whisper Hill Farm LLC;
B-Dr. Richard Holder & Justify Syndicate (KY); T-J. Kent
Sweezey. $38,700.
Margins: HF, HF, 2. Odds: 4.14, 4.17, 6.36.
Also Ran: Life of Joy, Letmecounttheways, Vita Mia, Baracca, Coco Connect, Raspberry, Essential Coffee. Scratched: Explora, The Grumpy Rabbit, Wonzee Weather.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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