In her final stop on the road to the Kentucky Oaks (G1), undefeated Bella Ballerina takes on the $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) March 21 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Trained by Brendan Walsh, the 3-year-old daughter of Street Sense won her first start of the year in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) Feb. 14 after completing last year with a victory in the Nov. 29 Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs. Her career debut came Oct. 5 at Keeneland, where she broke her maiden by 4 1/4 lengths. Owned and bred by Godolphin, she is the half sister to 2023 Kentucky Oaks winner and champion 3-year-old filly Pretty Mischievous, who is a Godolphin homebred and pursued a similar path to the Kentucky Oaks, having also won the Rachel Alexandra Stakes. Bella Ballerina will look to go one better than her sibling, who ran second in the Fair Ground Oaks to Southlawn three years ago. Tyler Gaffalione, who rode Bella Ballerina in her first three starts, will be aboard once again.
The Fair Ground Oaks sets up a rematch with Luv Your Neighbor, who ran second in the Rachel Alexandra. In the stretch drive, Luv Your Neighbor took the lead from Bella Ballerina at the furlong pole but was not able to hold her off, as her rival dug in late to regain the lead and got the win by a half-length. The daughter of Constitution is trained by Michael Stidham and owned by Lael Stables. She also ran second by a neck in the Silverbulletday Stakes to Taken by the Wind to kick her year off. She has run second in her last three starts, finishing as runner-up at the close of her 2-year-old season in the Untapable Stakes to Hit Parade.
Video: Fasig-Tipton Rachel Alexandra S. (G2)
Trainer Brad Cox has Life of Joy in field. The Gun Runner filly comes into the Fairground Oaks off a second-place finish behind Zany in the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. Last year, she won the Rags to Riches Stakes before running fourth behind Bella Ballerina in the Golden Rod Stakes. Life of Joy is owned by Will Stroud, Andrew Farm, Mountmellick Farm, and For the People Racing Stable. Life of Joy has already earned 22 qualifying points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Flavien Prat has the mount.
Bella Ballerina ranks second on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with 60 points, while Luv Your Neighbor is currently eighth with 40 points. The Fair Grounds Oaks offers points of 100-50-25-15-10 to the top five finishers—the $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks will be run May 1 at Churchill Downs.
The Fair Grounds Oaks is on a jam-packed 14-race card at Fair Grounds, which is headlined by the Louisiana Derby (G2).
Entries: Fasig-Tipton Fair Grounds Oaks (G2)
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Saturday, March 21, 2026, Race 11
- Grade II
- 1 1/16m
- Dirt
- $400,000
- 3 yo Fillies
- 5:08 PM (local)
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miss Metoyer (KY) | Edward Santiago | 122 | Benard Chatters | - |
| 2 | Newtown Pike (KY) | Francisco Arrieta | 122 | Lindsay Schultz | - |
| 3 | Maximum Offer (KY) | Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. | 122 | Kenneth G. McPeek | - |
| 4 | Luv Your Neighbor (ON) | Luis Saez | 122 | Michael Stidham | - |
| 5 | Bella Ballerina (KY) | Tyler Gaffalione | 122 | Brendan P. Walsh | - |
| 6 | Life of Joy (KY) | Flavien Prat | 122 | Brad H. Cox | - |
| 7 | Love and Trust (KY) | Jose L. Ortiz | 122 | Cherie DeVaux | - |
