Bella Ballerina Remains Unbeaten in Rachel Alexandra, Tops Kentucky Oaks Points

Bella Ballerina surged late to win the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra at 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds on Feb. 14, 2026, edging Luv Your Neighbor by a half-length to remain unbeaten in three starts. Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Brendan Walsh and bred and owned by Godolphin, the 3-year-old filly picked up 50 Road to the Kentucky Oaks points to move to 60 and the top spot on the Oaks leaderboard.

The race developed into a stretch duel after Bella Ballerina pressed near the front and was leading into the lane on the fast main track. On the far turn and around the furlong pole Luv Your Neighbor briefly took the lead, but Bella Ballerina switched leads and dug in along the rail to reassert control late and score by a half-length. Gaffalione said, “I thought she was getting a little tired on me but the more I asked of her the more she dug in.”

Walsh praised the filly’s resilience and framed the performance as positive for her development. “Hats off to her. She fought hard when she could've got beat. I think she'll improve a lot from her run today. She probably needed today's race. I was still able to get the job done,” he said in the Fair Grounds release. In postrace comments reported elsewhere Walsh added, “I loved the way she fought, and I loved the way that she had to fight, because I think it should move her forward. I think she got tired, but it’s good that she got tired. She could have got beat today and we’d have left satisfied.”

Bella Ballerina’s pedigree and recent form underline the stakes of the performance. By Street Sense out of Pretty City Dancer (a daughter of Tapit), she is a half-sister to Pretty Mischievous, the Rachel Alexandra and Kentucky Oaks winner in 2023 who was also campaigned by Godolphin for Walsh. Bella Ballerina improved her record to 3:3-0-0 with career earnings reported at $481,000; her previous wins include a Keeneland maiden in October and the Golden Rod (G2) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 29, 2025, also by a half-length.

The Rachel Alexandra awards 50-25-15-10-5 points to the top five and this edition reshuffled the leaderboard: Luv Your Neighbor earned 25 points and moved to 40, Just Singing picked up 15 to reach 15, Powered by Family earned 10, and Classic Guide received 5. With 60 points in hand, Bella Ballerina sits in a position that Daily Racing Form noted will all but clinch a Kentucky Oaks berth; the Fair Grounds series culminates with the Fair Grounds Oaks on Louisiana Derby day, March 21.

Race-day reporting shows minor discrepancies in ancillary numbers: most outlets and the Fair Grounds listed the Rachel Alexandra purse at $300,000 while one report cited $289,000, and win payoffs were reported as $3.60 in the Fair Grounds release and $3.80 by Daily Racing Form; official Equibase chart confirmation is recommended for final purse and payout figures. On the same card about 30 minutes later Gaffalione completed a big day by riding Paladin to victory in the Risen Star Stakes (G2), further underscoring his productive weekend at Fair Grounds.