Bella Bellini - 2022

Bella Bellini bests the boys in Hambletonian Maturity

by Ray Cotolo, Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Last year’s Hambletonian Oaks winner, Bella Bellini, journeyed overland out of her second-tier starting spot and overpowered all in her way to post a world-record 2:04.1 win over 1-1/8 miles in the $432,000 Hambletonian Maturity on Saturday (July 16) at The Meadowlands.

Driver Dexter Dunn scored Bella Bellini from the center of the gate in the second tier to track Balenciaga at race’s dispatch. She then took back to ninth before Balenciaga broke stride, leaving Take All Comers to contend with Rattle My Cage in the :25.4 first-quarter sprint to the first turn. Cuatro De Julio floated towards the lead to grab the top into the backstretch before Rattle My Cage sprang back out to reclaim the lead.

Rattle My Cage raced on an uncontested lead by a :54.2 half while Dunn got underway with Bella Bellini. No one flushed off the pylons to supply cover to the 4-year-old Bar Hopping mare, so she ground uncovered to the far turn, though she caught brief cover as Cuatro De Julio vacated the pocket when the field reached three-quarters in 1:22. Cuatro De Julio put away Rattle My Cage off the corner, but Bella Bellini barreled to a one-length victory, knocking one-fifth of a second off the stakes and world record set by JL Cruze in 2015. Ambassador Hanover hustled into contention late to settle for third and Take All Comers finished fourth.

“She’s something else,” trainer Richard “Nifty” Norman said after the race. “There was a lot of strategy there, and none of it worked out the way we thought it would. That was a real good run, to be uncovered so long.... I was a little concerned about that, but she was very relaxed trotting up there. Andy [McCarthy] pulled the two-hole, which gave her just a little bit of the cover she likes, and she did the rest.”

Bella Bellini has now banked $1,549,800, and has won 16 of her 35 starts. Norman trains last year’s Dan Patch 3-Year-Old Trotting Filly of the Year for owner David McDuffee. She paid $5.80 to win.

2022 Horses

GRADUATE CHAMPIONS TO BATTLE IN E.T. GERRY JR. HAMBLETONIAN MATURITY

Recently crowned Graduate Series champions Bella Bellini and Rattle My Cage will put win streaks on the line when they lead a field of 11 horses into Saturday’s $432,000 E.T. Gerry Jr. Hambletonian Maturity for 4-year-old trotters at The Meadowlands. The race will be contested at 1-1/8 miles.

last years champion


ahundreddollarbill

Sire - Chapter Seven

Owner - Crawford Farms Racing, James Crawford IV

Trainer - Tony Alagna

Driver - Todd McCarthy


ambassador hanover

Breeders Crown Elim Winner

Sire - Chapter Seven

Owner - M3 Racing Stable

Trainer - Ake Svanstedt

Driver - Scott Zeron


balenciaga

Sire - Chapter Seven

Owner - S R F Stable, Crawford Farms Racing

Trainer - Paul Kelley

Driver - Mark MacDonald


bella bellini

Hambletonian Oaks & Breeders Crown Champion

Sire - Bar Hopping

Owner - David McDuffee

Trainer - Nifty Norman

Driver - Dexter Dunn


Cuatro de julio

Breeders Crown Elim Winner

Sire - Trixton

Owner - D Farm LLC, Marie Ortolan Bar

Trainer - Marie Ortolan Bar

Driver - Andy McCarthy


delayed hanover

Hambletonian Elim Winner

Sire - Southwind Frank

Owner - Mellby Gard Inc, Ake Svanstedt Inc

Trainer - Ake Svanstedt

Driver - Ake Svanstedt


inaminute hanover

Sire - Bar Hopping

Owner - Determination

Trainer - Luc Blais

Driver- Bob McClure


incommunicado

Sire - Chapter Seven

Owner - Knutsson Trotting, Little E LLC, A. Geiger, D. Stolz

Trainer - Ake Svanstedt


rattle my cage

Sire - Love You

Owner - Perry Soderberg

Trainer - Ake Svanstedt

Driver - Yannick Gingras


sonofamistery

Sire - Muscle Hill

Owner - S R F Stable, Holly Lane Stud East LTD

Trainer - Marcus Melander

Driver - Brian Sears


take all comers

Sire - Creatine

Owner - Runthetable Stables

Trainer - Jim Campbell

Driver - Tim Tetrick


Previous
Previous

M-M's Dream -2023

Next
Next

Beads - 2021