Bella Bellini, Lady Chaos Win In PASS

Published: June 6, 2021 10:23 pm EDT

Bella Bellini and Lady Chaos added their names to the list of three-year-old trotting fillies who have won a Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) event this season, taking the two divisions for the third preliminary leg at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono during the Sunday (June 6) card.

The Bar Hopping filly Bella Bellini posted a clocking of 1:53.1, a fifth off her lifetime best, but it was her last quarter of :26.3 which really drew the eye. Bella Bellini sat fourth while You Ato Dream, who won in the first two legs of the PASS, led the field to a :27.1 quarter, then yielded to favoured Anoka Hanover — a first-round prelim winner — as she trotted to the half in :57.2. The pacesetter passed three-quarters in 1:26.2, but by that time Bella Bellini was roaring up uncovered at her with Dexter Dunn, and the two fillies went at each other with fury all the way to the wire, where Bella Bellini beat her game rival by half a length.

Winless at two, Bella Bellini holds a scorecard of 6-4-2-0 in 2021, with the two seconds by a half length and by three-quarter lengths in PASS races. "Nifty" Norman trains the much-improved filly for David McDuffee, who raced first and second dams Bella Dolce and Pizza Dolce with much success.

Breeders Crown winner Lady Chaos had her luck improve after starting the season with a fourth and a third in PASS races, using the famed "Pocono Pike" to take a 1:53.4 victory by a length over Donna Soprano.

Donna Soprano overtook command from Lady Chaos after the :27.2 quarter (favoured Love Muffin, coming off two PASS wins, made an early break), and continued to track her in middle splits of :57.2 and 1:25.3. The 2020 PASS champ Flawless Country made a huge move at the pacesetter in the latter part of the backstretch, and actually got a small lead into and through some of the turn, but Donna Soprano fought back only to see Lady Chaos pass her on the inside late.

The Cantab Hall filly Lady Chaos, who was let go at 10-1 from post 8, was driven by David Miller for trainer Linda Toscano and the partnership of Richard Gutnick, Thomas Pontone, Joseph Lozito Jr., and Enviro Stables LTD.

In the Stallion Series races, Father Patrick was the sire of all three winners including Piper Hanover, who now is perfect in three Stallion Series starts while taking a new mark of 1:52.4. The Tony Alagna trainee sped home in :55.2/:27.3 under the guidance of Andrew McCarthy and seems to have really found herself for Brittany Farms, Marvin and Lynn Katz, and Al Libfeld.

Andrew’s brother Todd also accounted for a Stallion Series contest as Dazzling Reign lowered her mark to 1:54.1 while running her scorecard in this series to 3-2-1-0 for trainer Claude Huckabone III and owner James Crawford IV. Also taking a new speed record was A Hopeful Prayer, who had been nosed out in her only previous Stallion Series race, winning here on the lead in 1:53.3 for driver Andy Miller, trainer Julie Miller and the ownership of Andy Miller Stable Inc. and Little E LLC.

Pocono continues its racing week with Monday and Tuesday cards at 12:30; program pages will be available at the PHHA website.

(PHHA / Pocono)

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