CHANDELIER STAKES

(Grade 1)

SIMON Callaghan made the rarest of moves before sending out Bellafina in the Grade 1 Chandelier at Santa Anita last Saturday. The trainer removed the blinkers from the two-year-old filly who had won her two previous races, including the Del Mar Debutante.

The move worked, or at least didn’t hurt, as the daughter of Quality Road added another Grade 1 stakes to her burgeoning tally. Owned by Kaleem Shah and ridden by Flavien Prat, the bay filly stalked Vibrance before waltzing to a six-and-a-half-length score over the pacesetter, Brill.

“The big key today was to see her relax, and going two turns that was very important. We took the blinkers off – it was a decision I thought would benefit her,” Callaghan said. “The race set up about how we hoped, she was breathing throughout, and then kicked at the end. When she had the blinkers on, she was a little more tense. She switched leads and did everything right, and she dominated today.”

Purchased for $800,000 as a two-year-old, Bellafina continues to impress.

“She’s answered every question,” Callaghan said. “We’ve jumped from five-eighths to three-quarters to seven-eighths and now to a mile and a 16th. That’s what the good ones do – they’ve got the speed but they can also get the extra distance.”

Mind Your Biscuits preps well

MIND Your Biscuits ticked the last box on his to-do list before the Breeders’ Cup. The one-time sprinter continued to show his versatility winning the two-turn Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs Last Sunday.

Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Mind Your Biscuits stalked the pace before ripping to a four-and-three-quarter-length win over the ever-young Toast Of New York and hard-hitting handicap horse Honorable Duty.

Trainer Chad Summers will keep his Breeders’ Cup options (Sprint, Classic, Mile) open with Mind Your Biscuits.