Life of Joy upends Bella Ballerina in Fair Grounds Oaks
Flavien Prat had no interest in getting into a dogfight with undefeated Bella Ballerina. He did not have to.
Life of Joy circled five wide on the far turn and blitzed the even-money favorite to win Saturday's Grade 2, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks at Fair Grounds by 3 3/4 lengths, setting a stakes record of 1:42.27 on the fast main track. The previous mark of 1:42.38 belonged to Blushing K. D., who won the race in 1997 before going on to capture the Kentucky Oaks.
Prat rode the winner for trainer Brad Cox in the 1 1/16-mile race for seven 3-year-old fillies, which awarded 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top five finishers.
"She ran a great race," Prat said. "Last time out things didn't set up well for her, and she's been up against some good fillies and showed her talent today."
Maximum Offer (19-1), ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr. for trainer Kenny McPeek, established the early pace along the inside through a quarter-mile in 23.24 seconds and a half in 46.83. Bella Ballerina (1-1) tugged Tyler Gaffalione to the lead in the four path and pressed honest fractions through three-quarters in 1:11.10, where she and Maximum Offer ran head-and-head.
Life of Joy (7-2) settled in hand off the inside through the early stages, advanced between rivals on the second turn and angled out five wide. She reeled in the leaders entering the stretch, forged command inside the three-sixteenths pole and pulled clear through a mile in 1:35.85.
Bella Ballerina gained a brief advantage entering the lane but could not sustain it through a prolonged drive, finishing 3 3/4 lengths behind the winner. It marked the first defeat for the Godolphin homebred, a Street Sense filly who is a half-sister to 2023 Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous.
Trainer Brendan Walsh was not discouraged by the loss. He and Gaffalione both believed Bella Ballerina would benefit from this run and could perform better in the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks without having to be on the front end the entire way.
"She relaxes so good, but she's sort of been in the front by default in her two starts here, and maybe it'd be better if we had a target early," Gaffalione said.
The victory gives Life of Joy 100 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points and vaults her squarely into the May 1 picture at Churchill Downs. She came into the Fair Grounds Oaks off a runner-up finish behind current Kentucky Oaks favorite Zany in the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 7. Before that, she finished a troubled fourth behind Bella Ballerina in the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) to close out her 2-year-old season.
"We wanted to freshen her up a little bit after running into a really good filly last time, and we thought we'd get a good set up here today, and we did, and she executed," Cox said. "The next test will be nine furlongs, but she's shown us in the mornings we think she can get that trip – hopefully we'll get the set up."
Life of Joy paid $9.40, $3.60 and $2.60. Bella Ballerina returned $2.60 and $2.10 to place. Luv Your Neighbor (6-1), the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) runner-up ridden by Luis Saez for Michael Stidham, finished third and paid $3.00 to show, a half-length ahead of Newtown Pike (5-1), who was last early after breaking through the starting gate. Maximum Offer faded to fifth, Love and Trust finished sixth and Miss Metoyer trailed in seventh.
A Gun Runner filly out of Jordan's Leo, by Malibu Moon, Life of Joy was bred in Kentucky by Springhouse Farm. She is owned by Will Stroud, Andrew Farm, Mountmellick Farm and For the People Racing Stable. She is 3: 2-2-0.