Ballerina d’Oro justified trainer Chad Brown’s belief that she wanted more distance, needing every inch of the 1 1/8 miles of the $200,000 Gazelle Stakes (G3) to secure the victory April 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Campaigned by Rodeo Creek Racing, who acquired the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro for $320,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, Ballerina d’Oro was exiting a closing third-place effort in the one-turn mile Davona Dale Stakes (G2) March 1 at Gulfstream Park. Heading into the Gazelle with a race under her belt and stretching out an additional furlong, Ballerina d’Oro loomed a towering 3-5 presence in the field of seven 3-year-old fillies.
Despite her prowess, Ballerina d’Oro had to dig deep for her first graded score. Away a bit slowly under jockey Dylan Davis, Ballerina d’Oro tucked in just behind the leaders in a stalking trip along the rail. Last-out explosive maiden winner Vanilla Sundae streaked through opening splits for trainer Todd Pletcher, posting measured fractions of :24.10 and :48.36 before being overtaken around the final bend.
As Davis angled Ballerina d’Oro off the rail and into the clear, Virginia Oaks runner-up Early On forged to the front, holding Godolphin’s Deloraine at bay as the field turned into the straightaway. Ballerina d’Oro rallied three wide and drew even with Early On at the eighth pole, prevailing by a nose in the final strides.
Davis noted the filly was reluctant to switch to her correct lead down the lane.
“I thought she would really go on a little more, but she was tough on her leads today, so I was able to switch her over and she fought off Early On, who is a nice filly as well,” Davis said. “If she could have switched over a little earlier for me, I think she would have went on with a few lengths to victory.”
Deloraine finished 5 3/4 lengths back in third to complete the trifecta.
Ballerina d’ Oro ($3.40) was timed in 1:50.67 over a fast main track.
“Dylan (Davis) did a great job to finally get her straightened out, she caught that right lead very late in the race and finally persevered by a tough customer down on the inside,” Brown said. “She is a work in progress, I think she got a good hard race under her belt. I’m not sure how much she got out of the Gulfstream race and she missed some training. This race, she’ll get a lot out of it and hopefully she can build off of it. She will need to, to be competitive in the Kentucky Oaks, but I think she has the talent to be.”
A talented 2-year-old last year, Ballerina d’Oro solidified her starting slot in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), collecting 100 points toward the first Friday in May with her Gazelle win. Boasting a total of 116.25 Road to the Kentucky Oaks points, she would be the first Oaks starter for her owner, John Capek of Rodeo Creek Racing.
Early On’s gallant runner-up placing may have earned her a trip to Louisville as well for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. The 50 points awarded for second, take the Union Rags filly’s tally to 75 points on the Oaks leaderboard.
Video: Gazelle S. (G3)
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