As good as the efforts turned in by Irish War Cry in the Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (USA-G2) and El Areeb in the Withers Stakes (USA-G3) looked, the performance of the weekend among the sophomores of 2017 may have been in the Las Virgenes Stakes (USA-G2), in which Unbridled Bella summarily disposed of 2016 American champion 2-year-old filly Champagne Room and two other rivals without drawing a deep breath. In spite of being taken in hand late, the powerful gray filly won by nearly 9 lengths in racehorse time of 1:35.66.
So far, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has expressed a preference for keeping the daughter of Tapit in her own division. This may be a mercy to the colts, for if Unique Bella continues progressing as she has done to date, comparisons to another gray Amazon by the name of Winning Colors may well arise. (Indeed, Unique Bella has already gone Winning Colors one better in one respect, as Winning Colors lost the 1988 Las Virgenes to Goodbye Halo before going on to win the Santa Anita Oaks, USA-G1, from her own sex and the Santa Anita Derby, USA-G1, and Kentucky Derby, USA-G1, from the boys.)
If Unique Bella has an Achilles' heel, it isn't likely to be stamina. Tapit has already sired two Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winners in Tonalist and Creator, and Unique Bella is inbred 3x3 to 1990 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Unbridled, who also took the 1990 Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1) on his way to honors as American champion 3-year-old male. It is also hard to quibble with the class of a pedigree that boasts a Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (USA-G1) winner as the dam (Unrivaled Belle) and a multiple Grade 2 winner as the second dam (Queenie Belle).
3-year-old fillies tend to be on a quicker maturation curve in the spring than their male counterparts, and it is possible that Unique Bella will look less impressive compared to the males later on. But then again, perhaps not. Time, and the test of the race course, will tell.
So far, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has expressed a preference for keeping the daughter of Tapit in her own division. This may be a mercy to the colts, for if Unique Bella continues progressing as she has done to date, comparisons to another gray Amazon by the name of Winning Colors may well arise. (Indeed, Unique Bella has already gone Winning Colors one better in one respect, as Winning Colors lost the 1988 Las Virgenes to Goodbye Halo before going on to win the Santa Anita Oaks, USA-G1, from her own sex and the Santa Anita Derby, USA-G1, and Kentucky Derby, USA-G1, from the boys.)
If Unique Bella has an Achilles' heel, it isn't likely to be stamina. Tapit has already sired two Belmont Stakes (USA-G1) winners in Tonalist and Creator, and Unique Bella is inbred 3x3 to 1990 Kentucky Derby (USA-G1) winner Unbridled, who also took the 1990 Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1) on his way to honors as American champion 3-year-old male. It is also hard to quibble with the class of a pedigree that boasts a Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (USA-G1) winner as the dam (Unrivaled Belle) and a multiple Grade 2 winner as the second dam (Queenie Belle).
3-year-old fillies tend to be on a quicker maturation curve in the spring than their male counterparts, and it is possible that Unique Bella will look less impressive compared to the males later on. But then again, perhaps not. Time, and the test of the race course, will tell.
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