Bella Ballerina outlasted a determined Luv Your Neighbor to remain perfect in three starts when winning the G2 Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds on Saturday, Feb. 14.
The three-year-old Street Sense filly, who is a half-sister to champion Pretty Mischievous, emulated her older sister when capturing the Rachel Alexandra. Like her sibling, she hopes to also try to follow suit with a victory in the G1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.
Breaking alertly out of the starting gate, Bella Ballerina had things her own way on the front end as the heavy favorite, leading Luv Your Neighbor up the backstretch through fractions of :23.40 and :46.98.
As the rest of the field began to fade from view, the top two fillies hit the quarter pole together for a stretch-length showdown. Luv Your Neighbor, second in her last three starts, looked poised to finally get the better of her rival into the final sixteenth. Bella Ballerina wasn’t through, though, and she fought back in the final strides under Tyler Gaffalione to get the victory by a half-length.
Bred in Kentucky and racing as a homebred for Godolphin, Bella Ballerina is out of the Tapit mare Pretty City Dancer, winner of the G1 Spinaway Stakes. As mentioned earlier, Bella Ballerina is a half-sister to Champion 3-year-old filly and three-time G1 winner (Kentucky Oaks, Test Stakes, Acorn Stakes), Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief).
Bella Ballerina is the second Stakes winner for her sire Street Sense in 2026, joining Street Beast, winner of the Leonatus Stakes at Turfway Park Jan. 17. The stallion enters the year off a strong 2025, having sired several Graded Stakes winners including winners La Cara (G1 Ashland and G1 Acorn Stakes), new Darley stallion First Mission (G2 Oaklawn Handicap), and Serendipity (G3 Selene Stakes).
Street Sense is standing the 2026 breeding season at Jonabell Farm for $40,000, stands and nurses.
