Unique Bella Logs Final Breeze for Apple Blossom
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Photo: Zoe Metz
Unique Bella, winner of the grade 1 La Brea Stakes, works April 8 at Santa Anita
The big gray filly did as she always does the morning of April 8 at Santa Anita Park.
In her final work for the April 13 Apple Blossom Handicap (G1), Don Alberto Stable's Unique Bella breezed with power and grace and covered four furlongs in :46 4/5 Sunday under the watchful eye of Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.
The half-mile time was the fastest of 63 at the distance on the Santa Anita main track. The average time was :49.68 for the distance, and the second fastest drill was in :47 3/5 by Tough But Nice.
The Santa Anita clockers timed the 4-year-old Tapit filly's gallop out to five furlongs under exercise rider Edgar Rodriguez in :59 4/5, which equaled the fastest five-furlong works Sunday for that distance, set by fellow grade 1 winner City of Light and Brighton Boy. The clockers also caught Unique Bella's first three furlongs in :34 4/5, which bested the fastest three-furlong work by two full seconds.
"She's a nice, big, strong filly and had a nice breeze today," noted Hollendorfer, who said Unique Bella will ship to Oaklawn Park the morning of April 11.
After Unique Bella's victory Dec. 26 in the seven-furlong La Brea Stakes (G1), which sealed champion female sprinter honors, she stretched out to two turns in the Santa Maria Stakes (G2) and dominated a short field to win by nine lengths.