Unique Bella Shooting for Apple Blossom at Oaklawn

A combination of a slight illness and some poor weather in Southern California has forced Unique Bella's connections to alter their plans, and now the champion daughter of Tapit  is penciled in to make her first start outside of California in the $700,000 Apple Blossom Stakes (G1) at April 13 at Oaklawn Park.

Don Alberto Stable and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer were targeting the March 17 Santa Margarita Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park for Unique Bella, but the big gray filly came down with a cough recently, had to go through a round of antibiotics, then missed key training with an off track at Santa Anita over the weekend, which led to the change in plans.

"She had a cough, we lost training, then the weather came up and we couldn't even gallop her," said Don Alberto racing manager Fernando Diaz-Valdes. "Everything came up bad and you have to be prepared for things like this. We have the whole year to run, so there's no need to rush. You're going to see her gallop soon and she'll start to prepare for the Apple Blossom."

After she was named the champion female sprinter of 2017 at the Eclipse Awards in January, Unique Bella stretched out for her 4-year-old debut in the Santa Maria Stakes (G2) and dominated a short field to win by nine lengths.

BALAN: Unique Bella Romps in Santa Maria

She has six graded wins, including the Dec. 26 La Brea Stakes (G1), and $712,400 in earnings. All six of those graded wins have come at Santa Anita and she broke her maiden in November of 2016 at Del Mar.