Bella Ballerina

Bella Ballerina was heavily bet in her career debut race at Keeneland on Oct. 5, 2025, and delivered with a big 4 1/4-length win at odds of 1.45-1 atop an 11-horse field to beat maidens at first asking. She stepped up against stakes horses in her second lifetime start and was victorious again in the Grade 2 $400,000 Golden Rod Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs on Nov. 29. Sent off as the 4.14-1 third choice on the tote board in a 10-horse field of 3-year-old fillies in the Golden Rod, Bella Ballerina raced second much of the way behind a runaway pacesetter and ranged up to assume the lead in upper stretch and remained in front through the stretch run to prevail for a half a length victory under jockey Tyler Gaffalione.

Bella Ballerina took the rest of the season off and re-surfaced with her 3-year-old debut in the Grade 2 $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds on Feb. 14, 2026.  Sent off as the 4-5 favorite in a six-horse field in the Rachel Alexandra, Bella Ballerina led much of the way until getting passed at the top of the stretch by Luv Your Neighbor. Bella Ballerina gamely battled back on the inside through the stretch run and successfully re-gained the lead over Luv Your Neighbor to win by a half a length in a race that awarded significant qualifying points on the road to the Longines Kentucky Oaks.

Bella Ballerina is trained by Brendan Walsh. She was bred in Kentucky by Godolphin by the sire Street Sense out of the mare Pretty City Dancer by Tapit.