Tapit’s 2017 champion female sprinter Unique Bella showed why there’s more than sprinting in her future as she crushed an overmatched field by nine lengths in the 1 1/16-mile Santa Maria Stakes (G2) Feb. 10 at Santa Anita.
A deep Santa Anita main track that had been yielding slower times proved no bother for odds-on Unique Bella. Her final time of 1:43.45 resulted in a 109 Beyer Speed Figure. According to Daily Racing Form’s Brad Free, it was the highest figure for a California filly or mare since Beholder’s 114 in the 2015 Pacific Classic (G1).
The Santa Maria marked the sixth lifetime graded stakes victory for the imposing gray.
Don Alberto Stable campaigns 4-year-old Unique Bella, who was bred by Brushwood Stable from the Breeders’ Cup-winning Unbridled’s Song mare Unrivaled Belle. Unique Bella is trained by Jerry Hollendorfer and has been piloted by Mike Smith throughout her career.