Post by *Ripley* on Feb 6, 2015 11:03:04 GMT -5
Bella Luna ♥
Bella Luna was a project horse that turned into a champion under Witch Creek Stable's direction. A daughter of Sea Struck and Majestic Wind, Bella was bred to reach championship levels. She was given to Witch Creek by Intrepid Racing upon Ripley's return to the racing game. The gray filly was a flighty creature with nervous tendencies and never seemed like she was going to become a champion until later in her career. Under Brookson Wells, the light gray won four races, non of them Horse Of the Year. Witch Creek's resident genius, Ripley made a smart call when switching Bella Luna's rider to Reese Balling Jones. The rest, they say is history.
Bella Luna finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, a surprising result as she had always been a consistent filly, but not brilliant. However, once the calender year switched over... The light switch was flipped and Bella began running full steam ahead. Out of nineteen race, Bella Luna won twelve. She rolled through the prep races leading to the Turf Triple Crown, including the West Virginia Derby and the Goldikova Stakes. She continued her success with a stirring victory in the Kentucky Open, a breathtaking win in the Preakness Champion Stakes and a determined triumph in the Belmont Turf Classic. Bella Luna became the first and only Turf Triple Crown winner with her sweep. Astonishingly, Bella's ascent to greatness did not end there.
The filly took two renditions of Memorial Stakes, the World Filly Cup and ended with another victory over males in the Breeders' Cup Mile. She was named Year Thirteen's Best Three Year Old Filly and Filly of the Year.
Bella Luna began her Year Fourteen season with a fourth place finish behind Hall of Fame Flashy Wings, Y14's Best Turf Horse Infinite Warcry and The Wire Champion Frozen Motion in the Dubai World Championship. She notched her first victory of the season in The Wire's Eclipse Stakes, but did not truly get into gear until March. After March, Bella Luna went on a tear, only getting better as the year progressed. She became the first to sweep the older turf distance series consisting of the Caufield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup. In addition, Bella Luna took The Wire Finish Turf Cup, the Twilight Stakes, the Dream Cup and Full Moon Derby. Her last victory in Year Fourteen came with a dominating win in the Tropical Rainforest Invitational. She finished second by a head in the Breeders' Cup Turf.
Bella Luna was awarded three awards at the conclusion of Year Fourteen, including: Turf Horse Of the Year, Best Turf Mare and Best Older Mare.
As a five year old, Bella Luna finished second behind Nightshade in the Dubai World Championship. It was a brave second place over a surface that she had only raced over once before in Year Fourteen's edition. Bravery, brilliance and class defined Bella Luna as a racehorse. She truly was the epitome of grace, the Queen of the Grass for two devastating years.
Her wins, spanning from Y12 to Y14:
[Y12]
1st in Stuckinajam Stakes - Nov. Week 4 [G4]
1st in TW Didactic Stakes - Sept. Week 2[G5]
1st in TW Megalomania Stakes - Aug. Week 4[G5]
1st in TW Slake Stakes - Aug. Week 3[G5]
1st in TW February Maiden - Feb. Week 1[M]
[Y13]
1st in Breeders' Cup Mile* - Dec. Week 4 [G4+]
1st in World Turf Cup* - Dec. Week 1 [Q]
1st in Wildly Natural Memorial Stakes* - Sept. Week 1 [O]
1st in Simply A Flyer Memorial Stakes* - Aug. Week 3[O]
1st in Belmont Turf Classic* - June Week 1[O]
1st in Preakness Champion Stakes* - May Week 2 [O]
1st in Kentucky Open* - Apr. Week 4 [O]
1st in TW Taurine Stakes - Mar. Week 4 [G3]
1st in TW Goldikova Stakes* - Mar. Week 1 [O]
1st in TW West Virginia Derby* - Feb. Week 2 [O]
1st in Unicorn Horn Turf* - Jan. Week 4 [O]
1st in TW Out of The Gate Stakes - Jan. Week 2 [G4]
[Y14]
1st in Tropical Rainforest Invitational* - Nov. Wk 4 [10F/T/G3+]
1st in Melbourne Cup* - Nov. Week 1 [10F/T/G3+]
1st in Cox Plate* - Oct. Week 3 [9F/T/G3+]
1st in Caulfield Cup* - Oct. Week 2 [8F/T/G3+]
1st in Dream Cup* - Sept. Week 2 [10F/T/G3+]
1st in TW Twilight Stakes* - Aug. Week 4 [11F/T/G3+]
1st in Full Moon Derby* - July Week 3 [9F/T/G3+]
1st in Seashell Cup Grade One* - June Week 4 [10F/T/G1]
1st in Milky Way Cup - June Week 1 [10F/T/G1]
1st in Summer Cup Grade One Turf* - May Week 4 [10F/T/G1]
1st in TW Finish Cup Turf* - Mar. Week 2 [9F/T/O]
1st in TW Eclipse Stakes* - Jan. Week 4 [11F/T/O]
Bella Luna's Accomplishments:
First Turf Triple Crown winner
First to Sweep the Older Horse Turf Series
Twilight Stakes winner
Awarded 5 HOTY awards between Y13 and Y14, including:
Y13 Best Three Year Old Filly
Y13 Filly of The Year
Y14 Turf Horse Of The Year
Y14 Best Turf Mare
Y14 Best Older Mare
Does she get your vote?
Bella Luna was a project horse that turned into a champion under Witch Creek Stable's direction. A daughter of Sea Struck and Majestic Wind, Bella was bred to reach championship levels. She was given to Witch Creek by Intrepid Racing upon Ripley's return to the racing game. The gray filly was a flighty creature with nervous tendencies and never seemed like she was going to become a champion until later in her career. Under Brookson Wells, the light gray won four races, non of them Horse Of the Year. Witch Creek's resident genius, Ripley made a smart call when switching Bella Luna's rider to Reese Balling Jones. The rest, they say is history.
Bella Luna finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, a surprising result as she had always been a consistent filly, but not brilliant. However, once the calender year switched over... The light switch was flipped and Bella began running full steam ahead. Out of nineteen race, Bella Luna won twelve. She rolled through the prep races leading to the Turf Triple Crown, including the West Virginia Derby and the Goldikova Stakes. She continued her success with a stirring victory in the Kentucky Open, a breathtaking win in the Preakness Champion Stakes and a determined triumph in the Belmont Turf Classic. Bella Luna became the first and only Turf Triple Crown winner with her sweep. Astonishingly, Bella's ascent to greatness did not end there.
The filly took two renditions of Memorial Stakes, the World Filly Cup and ended with another victory over males in the Breeders' Cup Mile. She was named Year Thirteen's Best Three Year Old Filly and Filly of the Year.
Bella Luna began her Year Fourteen season with a fourth place finish behind Hall of Fame Flashy Wings, Y14's Best Turf Horse Infinite Warcry and The Wire Champion Frozen Motion in the Dubai World Championship. She notched her first victory of the season in The Wire's Eclipse Stakes, but did not truly get into gear until March. After March, Bella Luna went on a tear, only getting better as the year progressed. She became the first to sweep the older turf distance series consisting of the Caufield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup. In addition, Bella Luna took The Wire Finish Turf Cup, the Twilight Stakes, the Dream Cup and Full Moon Derby. Her last victory in Year Fourteen came with a dominating win in the Tropical Rainforest Invitational. She finished second by a head in the Breeders' Cup Turf.
Bella Luna was awarded three awards at the conclusion of Year Fourteen, including: Turf Horse Of the Year, Best Turf Mare and Best Older Mare.
As a five year old, Bella Luna finished second behind Nightshade in the Dubai World Championship. It was a brave second place over a surface that she had only raced over once before in Year Fourteen's edition. Bravery, brilliance and class defined Bella Luna as a racehorse. She truly was the epitome of grace, the Queen of the Grass for two devastating years.
Her wins, spanning from Y12 to Y14:
[Y12]
1st in Stuckinajam Stakes - Nov. Week 4 [G4]
1st in TW Didactic Stakes - Sept. Week 2[G5]
1st in TW Megalomania Stakes - Aug. Week 4[G5]
1st in TW Slake Stakes - Aug. Week 3[G5]
1st in TW February Maiden - Feb. Week 1[M]
[Y13]
1st in Breeders' Cup Mile* - Dec. Week 4 [G4+]
1st in World Turf Cup* - Dec. Week 1 [Q]
1st in Wildly Natural Memorial Stakes* - Sept. Week 1 [O]
1st in Simply A Flyer Memorial Stakes* - Aug. Week 3[O]
1st in Belmont Turf Classic* - June Week 1[O]
1st in Preakness Champion Stakes* - May Week 2 [O]
1st in Kentucky Open* - Apr. Week 4 [O]
1st in TW Taurine Stakes - Mar. Week 4 [G3]
1st in TW Goldikova Stakes* - Mar. Week 1 [O]
1st in TW West Virginia Derby* - Feb. Week 2 [O]
1st in Unicorn Horn Turf* - Jan. Week 4 [O]
1st in TW Out of The Gate Stakes - Jan. Week 2 [G4]
[Y14]
1st in Tropical Rainforest Invitational* - Nov. Wk 4 [10F/T/G3+]
1st in Melbourne Cup* - Nov. Week 1 [10F/T/G3+]
1st in Cox Plate* - Oct. Week 3 [9F/T/G3+]
1st in Caulfield Cup* - Oct. Week 2 [8F/T/G3+]
1st in Dream Cup* - Sept. Week 2 [10F/T/G3+]
1st in TW Twilight Stakes* - Aug. Week 4 [11F/T/G3+]
1st in Full Moon Derby* - July Week 3 [9F/T/G3+]
1st in Seashell Cup Grade One* - June Week 4 [10F/T/G1]
1st in Milky Way Cup - June Week 1 [10F/T/G1]
1st in Summer Cup Grade One Turf* - May Week 4 [10F/T/G1]
1st in TW Finish Cup Turf* - Mar. Week 2 [9F/T/O]
1st in TW Eclipse Stakes* - Jan. Week 4 [11F/T/O]
Bella Luna's Accomplishments:
First Turf Triple Crown winner
First to Sweep the Older Horse Turf Series
Twilight Stakes winner
Awarded 5 HOTY awards between Y13 and Y14, including:
Y13 Best Three Year Old Filly
Y13 Filly of The Year
Y14 Turf Horse Of The Year
Y14 Best Turf Mare
Y14 Best Older Mare
Does she get your vote?
