Relaxed Belle Of Perintown Rolls In Grade II Silverbulletday
By: John Gaver III

(Feb. 15, 2003) - Belle Of Perintown was her own worst enemy in the Tiffany Lass Stakes on Jan. 26, where she reared and nearly flipped over in the gate prior to the start, but the daughter of Dehere had running, not anxiety, on her mind in the Grade II Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course as she left seven other overmatched fillies in her wake on her way to a 8 ¼-length win in the mile and a sixteenth event on Feb. 15 in New Orleans, La.

"She was unbelievable, fantastic," said winning trainer Eddie Kenneally. "My filly has been training well to the race. I was just concerned with her mental state after the last race. But I think that question has been answered."

The Bret Calhoun coupled entry of Afternoon Dreams and Rebridled Dreams ran second and third, respectively. Souris, Allspice, Golden Marlin, Arrival Time and Cheryl's Myth rounded out the official order of finish.

Belle Of Perintown, who was sent off at odds a shade better than 10-1, covered a mile and a sixteenth over a "fast" track in 1:44.48 and returned $22.40, $9 and $5.60.

Belle Of Perintown was composed at the gate prior to the start and sprung out of her stall alertly. She rated kindly under jockey Calvin Borel, who was content to stalk pacesetting Rebridled Dreams through and opening quarter-mile in :23.41, a quick half in :46.92.

Approaching the three-eighths pole, the field started to bunch up but a patient Borel waited until just inside the quarter pole before asking Belle Of Perintown to make a move and when the rider did, she collared Rebridled Dreams and set sail for the wire.

The bay filly responded to a single crack of Borel's right-hand whip and opened up by daylight in the final eighth of a mile to extend her margin of victory. In the final few hundred yards, Borel wrapped up on his mount and she won, as Fair Grounds race caller Michael Wrona put it, "under an absolute throttle hold."

"Last time I thought she would run a lot better," Borel said after the race. "If she would not have reared up at the start I think she would have won that day. But today she was rated very easy behind the leader and when I called on her she went on with ease."

Allspice, who was sent off as the 7-5 favorite, was a non-threatening fifth, beaten over 11 lengths.

With the victory, Belle Of Perintown improved her lifetime record to three wins from nine starts with a pair of seconds and a third also to her credit. The $90,000 winner's share of the Silverbulletday purse elevated her career earnings to $214,075.

Provided she comes out of the Silverbulletday in good order, Belle Of Perintown figures to make her next start in the $350,000 Fair Grounds Oaks (GII) on Mar. 8, though her connections failed to confirm a definite spot for their filly immediately following the race.

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