Alpha Bella Leads All the Way in Del Mar Stakes Victory

It was a third stakes winner of the week for Justify on Friday when Don Alberto homebred Alpha Bella (5m Justify x Andina, by Singspiel) won the CCT and TOC Stakes for her second career stakes victory.

Making her second start of the Del Mar meet in this 1 3/8-mile turf race, Alpha Bella broke out of the second widest gate but was quickly away and angled in to take command. Challenged early, she grew the lead to a comfortable margin down the backstretch when kept well in-hand by Hector Berrios.

Another runner issued a challenge coming into the far turn, but she was able to wrangle that one into submission as they entered the final quarter mile. Asked for more in the stretch, she comfortably pulled away to a 2 ¾ length victory.

Trained by John Sadler, this was the fourth win for Alpha Bella, who also won last year’s Grade III La Prevoyante and has $575,615 in earnings.

Alpha Bella is out of the stakes winning Singspiel mare Andina, who has turned into quite the broodmare.

The dam of six winners from six to race, Andina is also the dam of Chilean champion Australia Mia and Grade III winner Andina Del Sur. A stakes winner who was also multiple graded stakes placed, Andina is out of the stakes winning Fragrant Oasis, who is one of two stakes winners out of her own dam.

It’s been a big week for Justify, who kicked it off with a dirt stakes winner when Big Truzz romped in the Ellis Park Derby before Miss Justice won her stakes debut in England on Wednesday.