Unique Bella Works Bullet Ahead of Santa Anita Oaks
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Photo: Zoe Metz
Unique Bella works six furlongs in 1:11 1/5 at Santa Anita March 19
Unique Bella, unbeaten in all but one of her five starts, posted a bullet six-furlong work the morning of March 19 in 1:11 1/5 to be the best of 10 at that distance at Santa Anita Park.
Don Alberto Stable's Tapit filly is scheduled to start next in the $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) April 8.
Coming off her recent 2 1/2-length score in the March 4 Santa Ysebel Stakes (G2), Unique Bella has 70 points toward the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) and is currently tied with Farrell at the top of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard.
Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Unique Bella won a Nov. 26 maiden by 10 1/4 lengths before following that with a 7 1/2-length score in the Santa Ynez Stakes (G2), and an 8 3/4-length romp in the Las Virgenes Stakes (G2).
Bred in Pennsylvania by Brushwood Stable, Unique Bella is out of multiple graded stakes winner and 2016 Keeneland November sale topper Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song), who sold to Whisper Hill Farm for $3.8 million. The mare was carrying a full sibling to Unique Bella when she went through the sales ring.
Hollendorfer also sent out Honeybee Stakes (G3) winner It Tiz Well Sunday morning, who finished four furlongs in :50 3/5. Bob Baffert trainee Noted and Quoted, who finished seventh in the 14 Hands Winery Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) in her last start, posted five furlongs in 1:01.