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Trio of New Owners Buy Minority Interest in Bella Sofia

Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, and Barry Fowler have purchased a minority interest in the GI Longines Test S. winner Bella Sofia (Awesome Patriot). The deal was brokered by bloodstock agent Nick Sallusto.

Medallion, Parkland, and Fowler join original owners Michael Imperio, Vincent Scuderi, Sofia Soares, Gabrielle Farm, Mazel Stable Partners, and Matthew Mercurio in campaigning the filly, who is trained by Rudy Rodriguez.

“Nick Sallusto and I talked after the filly broke her maiden. I felt she was one to keep an eye on,” said Medallion Racing's Mark Taylor. “And her Test was a jaw-dropper. She showed freakish talent, and she's got a sneaky good pedigree. We are grateful for the opportunity to be in on her.”

Sallusto and Hanzly Albina bought Bella Sofia for the original ownership group for $20,000 at last year's OBS June Sale.

“She was an extremely fluid mover at the breeze-ups before the sale, and was a flawless physical at the barn,” Sallusto said. “Her talent was obvious from the first time I breezed her at the farm. Rudy Rodriguez has done an excellent job of advancing her talent.”

The Sept. 26 GII Gallant Bloom H. at Belmont may be next for Bella Sofia, with an eye toward the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

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Bella Sofia Closes Strong In Test, Earns 101 Beyer Speed Figure

Michael Imperio, Vincent Scuderi, Sofia Soares, Gabrielle Farm, Mazel Stable Partners, and Matthew Mercurio's Bella Sofia ensured her graded stakes debut was a memorable one when she drew away for a 4 1/4-length score in Saturday's $500,000 Grade 1 Longines Test for 3-year-old fillies sprinting seven furlongs at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez entered the daughter of Awesome Patriot in the prestigious race on Whitney Day following a 6 1/2-length victory against allowance company going six furlongs in July at Belmont. Stretched out on Saturday, Bella Sofia tracked Illumination's early fractions before closing strong under jockey Luis Saez, resulting in a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure after improving to 3-1-0 in four starts.

“The thing that impressed me was that she let Luis do whatever he wanted to do,” Rodriguez said. “The way she broke, I thought she was going to go to the lead. But Luis let the horse go in front of her, and to see her relax and be very kind, that was impressive. When Luis asked her, she was there.”

Bella Sofia was unraced as a juvenile but showed her potential in an impressive debut in which she topped a six-horse field by 11 1/4 lengths going six furlongs on Belmont's Big Sandy on May 6.

Graduating to stakes company next out in the six-furlong Jersey Girl the day after the Belmont Stakes on June 6, Bella Sofia ran a competitive second, one length behind winner Australasia, before registering that blowout win last month.

Rodriguez said Bella Sofia, who was bred in Kentucky by Two Tone Farms, was worth the wait as she has never registered a speed figure below 90.

“Everything was happy and quiet with her today,” Rodriguez said. “She looks a little tired, but she's all good.

“Sometimes, you need to wait,” he added. “She had some little issues and bumps in the road when was she a baby, but she's behind all that now. She looks very happy right now.”

Purchased for $20,000 at the 2020 Ocala Breeders' 2-Year-Old Sale, Bella Sofia has already amassed earnings of $405,100. Rodriguez said he has not picked out her next target yet.

The victory marked the first graded stakes win for Rodriguez in four years, with the previous occurrence also taking place at Saratoga when Lady Ivanka captured the 2017 Grade 1 Spinaway. In total, Rodriguez has tallied seven Grade 1 wins, with four of those coming in 2014.

Rodriguez will have an opportunity for additional graded stakes success as Doctor Jeff remains likely to go in Saturday's $200,000 Grade 2 Saratoga Special presented by Miller Lite. The 6 1/2-furlong main track sprint for 2-year-olds will mark Doctor Jeff's second career start following a 2 1/4-length debut win on July 10 at Belmont in a race that was moved off the turf.

The Street Boss colt, a $90,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, posted a bullet five-furlong breeze Sunday over the Saratoga main track, clocked in :59.61 seconds as the fastest in a group of 22. It was his third consecutive work at the track since shipping from Belmont in July.

Jockey Joel Rosario, aboard for that debut win, was aboard for the work and will have the return call next week.

“He breezed great this morning and we're very happy with the way he's been training over here,” Rodriguez said. “We're still looking at the Special. We're just living the dream right now.”

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Bella Sofia Passes The Test, Gets Her First Graded Stakes Win

In a race that featured the winner of the Grade 2 Mother Goose in Zaajel and the Grade 1 Acorn in Search Results, it was Rudy Rodriguez's filly Bella Sofia, who had yet to compete in a graded stakes let alone win one, that brought home the victory in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. In only the fourth start of her career, the daughter of Awesome Patriot brings home her third win, adding G1 winner to her short resume.

At the start, Illumination and John Velazquez got out of the gate fastest, Luis Saez settling Bella Sofia in to her outside in second and Souper Sensational on the rail in third. Illumination was a half-length in front through the first quarter in :22.84 and then the first half in :45.70, with Souper Sensational on the rail briefly challenging Bella Sofia's position in second on the far turn. Saez and Bella Sofia maintained their position just off Illumination's shoulder as they approached the stretch.

With the Saratoga straight ahead of them, Velazquez moved Illumination onto the rail as Saez and Bella Sofia made a big run on their outside. Easily taking over the lead, Bella Sofia drew away from the field, crossing the wire 4 1/4 lengths in the front of Souper Sensational in second and Search Results in third. The final time for the seven-furlong G1 Test was 1:21.54.

Always Carina, Obligatory, Illumination, Zaajel, and Make Mischief rounded out the field. Find this race's chart here.

Bella Sofia paid $10.40, $5.70, and $4.00. Souper Sensational paid $10.20 and $5.00. Search Results paid $2.60 to show.

“I know we asked a lot. We're just happy to have her in the barn. The day she broke her maiden, she put everybody away impressively. She was training good.” Trainer Rodriguez said after the Test. “You know when you draw the outside, you pretty much just let the jockey figure out what they want to do. She broke better than anybody. I thought she was going to be out front when she broke that good. She was nice and comfortable and she was running very well for him and when he asked her, she was there for him.”

“She broke perfectly. We were looking for that spot right there to sit and make a run into the stretch. She did it so well and so beautifully. She came through the stretch pretty smoothly. I knew the one horse [Illumination] had some speed, so the plan was to break from there, relax and make one move with her. She's a pretty nice filly,” Saez said after his win on Bella Sofia.

Bred in Kentucky by Two Tone Farms, Bella Sofia is a 3-year-old filly by Awesome Patriot out of the Consolidator mare Love Contract. Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, she is owned by Michael Imperio, Vincent Scuderi, Sofia Soares, Gabrielle Farm, Mazel Stable Partners LLC, and Matthew Mercurio. With her win in the Test, Bella Sofia improves to three wins in four lifetime starts, all in 2021, for career earnings of $405,100.

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Bella Sofia Blasts Home in Test

Modestly bred Bella Sofia got the better of the bluebloods Saturday to make the grade in this prestigious event for sophomore fillies. An 11 1/4-length debut romper at Belmont May 6, the dark bay settled for second after showing the way in a competitive running of the Jersey Girl S. downstate a month later. She bounced back, and paired up the 94 Beyer Speed Figure she earned on debut, when crushing first-level allowance foes by 6 1/4 lengths back at Big Sandy July 11.

Away on top from her wide draw, Bella Sofia stalked Bob Baffert-trained invader Illumination (Medaglia d'Oro) through an opening quarter in:22.84 before allowing Souper Sensational to sneak up the fence and briefly apply more pressure. The pacesetter shook free through a :45.70 half, but Bella Sofia sidled up to her right flank once again as they spun for home. The battle was brief, and Bella Sofia leveled off and kicked away in midstretch as Souper Sensational re-rallied for second and GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up and GI Acorn S. winner Search Results (Flatter) never seriously threatened in third.

“We just let [Luis Saez] ride her the way he wants to ride her,” said winning conditioner Rudy Rodriguez. “We drew a very good post and we're just thankful for the opportunity.

“I know we asked a lot. We're just happy to have her in the barn. The day she broke her maiden, she put everybody away impressively. She was training good. You know when you draw the outside, you pretty much just let the jockey figure out what they want to do. She broke better than anybody. I thought she was going to be out front when she broke that good. She was nice and comfortable and she was running very well for him and when he asked her, she was there for him.”

Saez said, “She broke perfectly. We were looking for that spot right there to sit and make a run into the stretch. She did it so well and so beautifully. She came through the stretch pretty smoothly. I knew [Illumination] had some speed, so the plan was to break from there, relax and make one move with her. She's a pretty nice filly.”

Saturday, Saratoga
LONGINES TEST S.-GI, $500,000, Saratoga, 8-7, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:21.54, ft.
1–BELLA SOFIA, 118, f, 3, by Awesome Patriot
                1st Dam: Love Contract (MSP, $202,040),
                                by Consolidator
                2nd Dam: Option Contract, by Forty Niner
                3rd Dam: Infinite, by Majestic Light
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ($20,000 2yo '20 OBSOPN). O-Michael Imperio, Vincent
Scuderi, Sofia Soares, Gabrielle Farm, Mazel Stable Partners,
LLC & Matthew J. Mercurio; B-Two Tone Farms (KY); T-Rudy R.
Rodriguez; J-Luis Saez. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0,
$405,100. Werk Nick Rating: C.
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Souper Sensational, 120, f, 3, by Curlin
                1st Dam: Kateri, by Indian Charlie
                2nd Dam: Sue's Good News, by Woodman
                3rd Dam: Montera, by Easy Goer
'TDN Rising Star' ($725,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-Live Oak
Plantation; B-Newtownanner Stud (KY); T-Mark E. Casse.
$100,000.
3–Search Results, 124, f, 3, by Flatter
                1st Dam: Co Cola (GSP), by Candy Ride (Arg)
                2nd Dam: Yong Musician, by Yonaguska
                3rd Dam: Alljazz, by Stop the Music
($310,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.;
B-Machmer Hall (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $60,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, 1HF, 2. Odds: 4.20, 13.30, 1.60.
Also Ran: Always Carina, Obligatory, Illumination, Zaajel, Make Mischief. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

Bella Sofia cost just $20,000 at last year's pushed-back OBS July sale off a :10 2/5 breeze and completed a graded stakes double for that auction Saturday, scoring one race after $30,000 2019 graduate War Like Goddess (English Channel) impressed in the GII Glens Falls S.

She is the lone Northern Hemisphere stakes winner for Awesome Patriot (Awesome Again), who also has two Group winners, including one at the highest level, in Chile. A $350,000 yearling, GSP juvenile and stakes winner around two turns on synthetic for Bob Baffert, Awesome Patriot is a full-brother to GI Preakness S. winner Oxbow and is closely related to Paynter (Awesome Again), sire of Saturday's GI Whitney S. winner Knicks Go. He began his career in Kentucky, shuttled to Chile and appears to have most recently stood in Ohio. Awesome Patriot has six yearlings and did not breed any mares in 2020.

Bella Sofia's dam Love Contract was just a $3,000 yearling herself who was claimed twice en route to better than $200,000 in earnings. Her prior two foals are both winners, but have run for as cheaply as $4,000 and $5,000, respectively. Love Contract produced a V. E. Day colt last April.

The post Bella Sofia Blasts Home in Test appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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