Bellafina carries weight of favoritism

The nation’s only 2-year-old with three graded stakes victories will travel from California to Kentucky accompanied by lofty expectations.

Bellafina, trained by Simon Callaghan and owned by Kaleem Shah, arrives Friday at Churchill Downs as the favorite for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 2. Favorites have won six of the eight Juvenile Fillies run at Churchill Downs. Bellafina is 5-2 on Daily Racing Form’s early line.

Eleven were pre-entered in the 1 1/16-mile race, and the water is deep. Bellafina, who dominated a seemingly strong California 2-year-old filly division, winning three stakes by increasingly bigger margins, tops a field that includes recent stakes winners from every major jurisdiction.

Kentucky-based Serengeti Empress and Restless Rider scored graded route victories last out at Churchill Downs and Keeneland, respectively. New York-based Jaywalk ran them silly in the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont Park. Sippican Harbor, also from New York, won a Grade 1 sprint in summer, and Florida-based Cookie Dough defeated Florida-sired rivals last out despite a wide trip.

The graded winners – Bellafina, Serengeti Empress, Restless Rider, Jaywalk, and Sippican Harbor – will attract most of the betting support in the BC Juvenile Fillies. Others with credentials, in addition to Cookie Dough, are recent Grade 1 runners-up Vibrance and Reflect.

The outsiders are Splashy Kisses, runner-up in a Grade 2 while more than 19 lengths behind the winner; Cassies Dreamer, third in the Frizette; and surprise pre-entrant Baby Nina, whose career-high Beyer is 48.

Bellafina, sired by Quality Road, removed blinkers last out, stretched to 1 1/16 miles, and won the Grade 1 Chandelier at Santa Anita by more than six lengths in her initial try at two turns. Bellafina would be the first to win the Juvenile Fillies after sweeping the final three California preps – the Grade 2 Sorrento and Grade 1 Debutante at Del Mar, and the Chandelier.

Serengeti Empress, by Alternation, stretched to 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 2 Pocahontas in September at Churchill and won by more than 19 lengths. Her trainer is Tom Amoss.

Restless Rider, by Distorted Humor, won the Grade 1 Alcibiades for trainer Ken McPeek.

Jaywalk, by Cross Traffic, set a hot pace wiring the Frizette last out. The Frizette has produced more Juvenile Fillies winners (11) than any other race. John Servis trains Jaywalk.

Sippican Harbor won the Grade 1 Spinaway on Sept. 1 while making her third start of the Saratoga meet. Trainer Gary Contessa freshened her afterward, and she enters off a nineweek break.

A realistic pace is expected in the Juvenile Fillies. Frontrunners include Jaywalk, Vibrance, Bellafina, and Serengeti Empress. Those with tactical speed include Sippican Harbor, Splashy Kisses, and Cookie Dough.

Juvenile Fillies pre-entrants in order of early odds, with riders: Bellafina, Flavien Prat; Serengeti Empress, Corey Lanerie; Restless Rider, Brian Hernandez; Jaywalk, Joel Rosario; Sippican Harbor, Irad Ortiz Jr.; Vibrance, John Velazquez; Reflect, unconfirmed; Splashy Kisses, Drayden Van Dyke; Cookie Dough, Jeffrey Sanchez; Cassies Dreamer, unconfirmed; Baby Nina, unconfirmed.