NY-Bred Bellacose Romps in Saratoga Debut

"Precocious, funny, spicy, and energetic" are the words that Dan Barraclough used to describe Bellacose as a foal, and apparently not much has changed as the filly has gotten older. "She has a little bit of sass to her," said trainer Jeremiah Englehart. "I like the fillies that have that attitude. I'll often go into the stall with my horses to try to get them to lie down, and when I do it with her, she absolutely lets me know that I'm bothering her. She'd rather fire at me with both hind legs than have me sit with her." Her name presumably representing this side of her personality, Bellacose didn't need to draw on any aggressive reserves to romp to victory in her debut at Saratoga Race Course. In a maiden special weight against seven other New York-bred fillies, Bellacose made short work of her rivals, going to the lead under Manny Franco and never letting her rivals get within less than a length of her. She hit the wire 10 3/4 lengths in front. "She's uber-competitive," said Englehart. "I didn't know she'd win like that, but I did think that she'd run well." Barraclough and his wife Kathy co-bred the 2-year-filly by Audible in partnership with Beals Racing Stable, and the filly was raised at Saratoga Glen Farm, which is owned and managed by the Barracloughs and sits about a 15-minute drive from Saratoga Race Course. Out of the Uncle Mo mare Little Bullet, Bellacose sold for $33,000 as a weanling at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Fall Mixed Sale to A L D, who pinhooked her as a yearling for $82,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale to trainer Jeremiah Englehart's JCE Racing. She is owned by Christopher T. Dunn, Blue Tarp Racing, Chris Mara, Greyhound Stables, Nicholas Sgroi, Arthur Sgroi, Jonathan M. Sacks, and Corrin Genovese. Englehart works with Legion Bloodstock to create a short list at the sales. "They know the body type I like," said the trainer. "This filly was built kind of downhill, with a really nice shoulder and hip to her." Which is exactly what Barraclough was hoping for when he bred Little Bullet to Audible. "As her name implies, Little Bullet's not the biggest mare," said Barraclough. "Audible definitely added some size and substance, and the broodmare sire of Audible has always been kind of a favorite of mine." That sire, Gilded Time, was a Florida-bred near-millionaire, winning $975,980 and three graded stakes races, including the 1992 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), and he was voted the champion juvenile colt of 1992. He sired grade/group 1 winners in the United States, Argentina, Australia, and Brazil, and his daughter Getback Time is the dam of Shaman Ghost, a multiple grade 1 winner that retired with earnings of $3.8 million. Little Bullet is in foal to Proxy, a multiple graded stakes winner that stood the 2024 breeding season for $25,000 at Darley near Lexington, and last year she had a filly by Tacitus. Sox for Daughters, a 3-year-old half brother to Bellacose by Good Samaritan, is entered at Finger Lakes July 24. This year, Little Bullet had another filly, this one by Greatest Honour, winner of the 2021 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) and Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2). "The foal by her side is fantastic," said Barraclough. "She's very forward, a little bit bigger than Bellacose, and every bit as precocious-looking." Following Bellacose's maiden win, Englehart suggested that the Seeking the Ante Stakes for New York-breds Aug. 25 at Saratoga could be the filly's next start. "Having a horse win in your backyard is definitely a dream and a goal," said Barraclough. "Her win was just very impressive and professional, and Jeremiah did a great job to have her ready. It was pretty cool to watch her power down the stretch." Audible, who was leading second-crop sire by progeny earnings through July 17, stands at WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky. His 2024 stud fee was $15,000.