Bellavais completed the trifecta in her career bow sprinting on the Saratoga lawn Sept. 2 and was second next out on the grass at Belmont 23 days later. Charging late to be second next out when extended to a grassy mile at Aqueduct, she was promoted to first after the winner was disqualified due to a claim of foul by the rider of the third-place finisher. Bet down to 4-1 from a 10-1 morning-line quote, the chestnut broke sharply from the seven-hole and was quickly guided towards the rail by Hall of Famer John Velazquez. Squeezed in tightly against the fence and forced to check off heels rounding the first turn, Bellavais was kept out of trouble by her veteran rider and saved ground near the back through an opening quarter in :23.60. Advancing into mid-pack as they completed a half in :47.96, the homebred charged up to be third turning for home and split rivals in the final furlong to take on the leader India Mantuana. Leaping up when India Mantuana's jockey's whip struck her face in the final strides, Bellavais never lost focus and forged clear late to score. “I thought she jumped something, but Johnny said the rider hit her,” said winning trainer Jimmy Toner, who plans to give Bellavais a break and point for a stake at Keeneland this spring. “She's a tough little filly. She's small, but she's very tough and competitive–that's what makes her. That makes up for her lack of size. She's agile and she's determined.” Phillips Racing Partners also bred and campaigned the winner's dam 2012 GIII Athenia S. heroine La Cloche with Toner. A daughter of MGISWmillionaire Memories of Silver (Silver Hawk) and a half-sister to MGISW turfer Winter Memories (El Prado {Ire}), La Cloche was purchased by Don Alberto Corp. for $2.4 million at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton November Sale carrying a now yearling colt by Tapit. Bellavais is the first foal out of the 10-year-old mare, who, in addition to the Tapit colt, has also produced a weanling filly by War Front. La Cloche was bred back to Empire Maker. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
GINGER BREW S., $100,000, GP, 1-7, 3yo, f, 7 1/2fT, 1:30.37, fm.
1–#BELLAVAIS, 116, f, 3, by Tapit
1st Dam: La Cloche (GSW, $299,948), by Ghostzapper
2nd Dam: Memories of Silver, by Silver Hawk
3rd Dam: All My Memories, by Little Current
O/B-Phillips Racing Partnership (KY); T-James J. Toner; J-John R.
Velazquez. $57,660. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-1, $116,960.
2–India Mantuana, 116, f, 3, Wilburn–Speed Wagon, by
Tomorrows Cat. ($8,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP). O-Magic Stables LLC;
B-Paul Knapper (KY); T-Antonio Sano. $18,600.[bullet ad=”vinery-sales-grad”]3–Lady Alexandra, 116, f, 3, More Than Ready–Lophorina (GB),
by King's Best. ($150,000 Ylg '15 KEESEP; $300,000 2yo '16
OBSMAR). O-Sheep Pond Partners, Newport Stables LLC and
Head of Plains Partners LLC; B-Brookdale, Jack Swain III &
Double K LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $9,300.[bullet ad=”niall-brennan-nbs-graduate”][bullet ad=”brookdale-co-bred-raised-sold”]Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, 1. Odds: 4.30, 16.60, 4.50.
Also Ran: A Great Time, Bahama Halo, Party Boat, Super Marina, Juenesse Doree, Somebody To Love (Ire), Conquest Vivi, Patrona, Fields of Song (Ire). Scratched: Jumby Bay.
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