Bella Ballerina looks to follow in the footsteps of half sister Pretty Mischievous in the $300,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) Feb. 14 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
The race, for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt, is a Road to the Kentucky Oaks points race.
The daughter of Street Sense is aiming to stay unbeaten in her 3-year-old debut, where she is the 2-1 morning-line favorite. Bella Ballerina landed her maiden win Oct. 5 at Keeneland by 4 1/4 lengths, and followed with a score in the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs Nov. 29.
Pretty Mischievous, of course, followed her victory in the 2023 Rachel Alexandra with a win in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). Like her half sister, Bella Ballerina is a Godolphin homebred who is trained by Brendan Walsh and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione. Their dam, Pretty City Dancer, by Tapit , won the 2016 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course before she was retired. She boasts four winners from as many starters.
"As good as you'd want her to be doing, she's doing," Walsh said. "She did very well over the winter. Physically as well, she's growing, filling out, and giving us all the right signals. She's been very good mentally, too, because she was a little tricky as a 2-year-old, but she's been coming around."
When asked compare her and Pretty Mischievous, Walsh sees similarities.
"I think as she's gotten older, she's become more similar to her, especially physically. It's nice to have another good one like her sister."
The race will award Kentucky Oaks points to the top five finishers on a 50-25-15-10-5 schedule.
Road to the Kentucky Oaks points standings
Just Singing, who was third when a length behind Bella Ballerina in the Golden Rod, is the morning-line second choice. Trained by Kent Sweezey and owned by Whisper Hill Farm, the daughter of Justify looks to improve in her first start as a 3-year-old.
The field of eight also includes recent Silverbulletday Stakes runner-up Luv Your Neighbor. She finished a neck behind Taken by the Wind at the wire of that Jan. 17 stakes at Fair Grounds after finishing gamely and gaining ground. Luv Your Neighbor is trained by Michael Stidham for owner Lael Stables.
Powered by Family is also entered. A recent maiden winner at a mile and 70 yards on the dirt at Fair Grounds, she is trained by Cherie DeVaux and owned by her breeders, St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds. Despite a slow start, she earned an 84 Equibase Speed Figure for the win.
Last year's Rachel Alexandra winner, Godolphin homebred Good Cheer, also went on to capture the Kentucky Oaks. In fact, four of the past eight Rachel Alexandra winners have gone on to capture the Kentucky Oaks going back to Serengeti Empress in 2019 and Monomoy Girl in 2018.
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, February 14, 2026, Race 11Entries: Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra S. (G2)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Just Singing (KY) John R. Velazquez 122 J. Kent Sweezey 7/2 2 2Classic Glide (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 122 Robert Medina 20/1 3 3Bella Ballerina (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 122 Brendan P. Walsh 2/1 4 4Dancin in Old Town (KY) James Graham 122 J. Keith Desormeaux 12/1 5 5Powered by Family (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 122 Cherie DeVaux 9/2 6 6Luv Your Neighbor (ON) Luis Saez 122 Michael Stidham 6/1 7 7Majestical (KY) Ben Curtis 122 Peter Eurton 4/1 8 8Agrippina (KY) Paco Lopez 122 Lindsay Schultz 12/1
