Bella Aurora got 2021 off to a great start with come-from-behind victory in the $100,000 Interborough S. Jan. 18 at Aqueduct. The 4-year-old filly topped a great weekend for Carpe Diem that included a pair of maiden special weight winners and Monforte placing in the Sunshine Turf S. at Gulfstream Park.
Bella Aurora, who had won the Gin Talking in late 2019, was content to trail the six-horse field of fillies and mares through a half-mile in :46.50. Still last at the top of the stretch, she found an opening along the inside and surged through to take the lead with a furlong to run. Needs Supervision, a daughter of Paynter, gave chase, but could get no closer than a length at the wire.
The final time for the seven furlongs was 1:25.63.
“I just tried to get her relaxed and make one move,” said winning jockey Jorge Vargas, Jr. “By the turn, she was taking me places and I thought if she kept doing that well we’ll be all right. When the rail opened up, she went through there and just went for it.”
The winner is trained by Michael Trombetta for Country Life Farm. Bella Aurora was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm. Her dam Street Interest is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Golden Spikes. Her third dam, Grade 1 winner Shared Interest, is in turn the dam of Grade 1 winners Forestry and Cash Run.
A top-10 Second-Crop sire of 2020, Carpe Diem finished the year with three stakes winners, seven stakes horses, 57 winners, and progeny earnings over $3.1 million. He is standing the 2021 season for $7,500 S&N.
