New Trainer, Old Bella Bella Bella?

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Apr. 23, 2002) -- Bella Bella Bella is the only graded stakes winner in the field. Lady George has already won three stakes races for California-breds. Super High is the hot filly, coming off a six-length allowance win. Theresa's Year won her only race with an 88 Beyer Speed Figure, highest of the nominees. 

Mix in the stretching-out speedster Icantgoforthat and the $200,000 Melair Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old fillies shapes up as one of the most competitive contests on the 10-race, $1.26 million Gold Rush III card at Hollywood Park Sunday.

Bella Bella Bella, a daughter of Soft Gold, out of the Slewpy mare Interactive, was bred by Southern Nevada Racing Stables and was sold privately after winning her debut to Team Valor Stables, looking for a replacement for last year's Cal-bred 3-year-old filly sensation, Golden Ballet.

Bella Bella Bella won her first three races, including the Grade III Santa Ysabel Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, but when she was jumped up to the Grade I Las Virgenes Stakes, she found You and Habibti a little too tough and finished sixth. She came back in the Some Sensation at one mile on the turf Mar. 15, faded to eighth, and was moved from trainer Jenine Sahadi to Neil Drysdale, in whose name she will run for the first time Sunday. She drilled seven furlongs Monday in 1:26.00 at Hollywood Park.

It won't be easy for her. Lady George has been queen of the Cal-bred filly division, having won the California Cup Juvenile Fillies, the California Breeders Championship and the Boo La Boo, with earnings of $309,635. She is a daughter of Lake George, out of the Kennedy Road mare Metro Link, and was bred by Bedford Stables and Stonehenge Stables. She was whipped in the Santa Anita Oaks by You and Habibti, but ran a respectable fourth in open company in the Providencia Stakes Apr. 13.

Super High, a daughter of High Brite, out of the prolific producing Zanthe mare Image of Super, was bred by owner Harris Farms. She won her debut, was second in the California Breeders Championship and third in the Boo La Boo behind Lady George both times, then ran off from allowance company Mar. 29 at one mile. She worked six furlongs at Santa Anita in 1:13 Friday.

Theresa's Year is a daughter of Half a Year, out of the Greenwood Star mare Theresa's Pleasure, and was bred by Haagsma, Haagsma and Tillema. She won her six-furlong debut Mar. 23 with a Beyer of 88.

Icantgoforthat, a daughter of In Excess, out of the Copelan mare Texinadress, will try to take her speed around two turns for the first time. Bred by Michael Pegram and claimed in November for $50,000, she has earnings of $182,244 and four career wins, but none in a stake. She worked five furlongs Tuesday in 1:00.40 at Santa Anita.

Other probables for the race include Calzada Kid, a Half a Year filly who was disqualified from a maiden $40,000 win and came back to win a maiden special weight on the turf; Nicole's Pursuit, a Flying Continental filly who lost an allowance mile race on the turf by one length and Shalini, an Urgent Request filly who was third in last year's California Sires Stakes. She worked five furlongs at Hollywood Park Tuesday in 1:03.20