Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Marley’s Freedom might get to dance with the big girls
CYPRESS, Calif. – The threerace winning streak Marley’s Freedom has amassed since mid-April has left owners Ron and Barbara Perry hoping they have a contender for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs in November.
Marley’s Freedom won the Grade 3 Desert Stormer by 7 1/4 lengths at six furlongs May 27 at Santa Anita for her first stakes win, and she took the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths over Skye Diamonds at 6 1/2 furlongs last Saturday at Los Alamitos.
To start in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint, the owners said they need to see more from Marley’s Freedom at a higher level of competition. They are considering the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at seven furlongs on Aug. 25 at Saratoga for Marley’s Freedom’s next start. The winner of the $500,000 Ballerina Stakes receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 3.
“If we think she’s a Grade 1 filly, we need to go to the Ballerina,” Barbara Perry said. “You can’t think about the Breeders’ Cup unless you think she’s a Grade 1 filly.”
Earlier this year, Marley’s Freedom was trained by Bob Hess Jr. For Hess, Marley’s Freedom was second to Selcourt in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs March 24 and won an optional claimer April 20 to start the winning streak.
Marley’s Freedom was transferred to trainer Bob Baffert after that race. A 4-year-old, Marley’s Freedom has won 5 of 11 starts and earned $353,435.
Skye Diamonds won the 2017 Great Lady M. Stakes and was later fourth in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar. Last summer, Skye Diamonds won the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar. Trainer Bill Spawr said Saturday he hopes to run Skye Diamonds in the Rancho Bernardo on Aug 12.
Unique Bella taking it slow
The champion Unique Bella has been in no hurry in her recent workouts.
On Saturday at Santa Anita, Unique Bella breezed five furlongs in 1:03.80, a time three or four seconds slower than what she is capable of producing. The times are of little concern to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Hollendorfer said Unique Bella is on course for the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on July 29 at Del Mar.
“She didn’t work very fast, but she worked well,” Hollendorfer said.
“We’ve gotten her slowed down, maybe too slowed down. She’ll be totally prepared for a race at the end of the meeting.”
The champion female sprinter of 2017, Unique Bella won the Grade 1 Beholder Mile by 2 1/4 lengths on June 2 at Santa Anita, her seventh stakes win in her 11th start, all for Don Alberto Stable. A week before the Beholder Mile, Unique Bella breezed a halfmile in 52.20 seconds. In the race, Unique Bella was timed in 1:35.60, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 103.
“We know she can go fast,” Hollendorfer said. “We blew her out before her last race. She worked in 52.
“Everyone was crabbing about that. Her last race was one of her better ones. We’re happy with the way she’s doing.”
Battle of Midway on road back
Battle of Midway, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar last November, worked three furlongs in 39.20 on Saturday at Santa Anita, his first major exercise since returning to training earlier this year.
Battle of Midway was sent to stud in Kentucky last winter but was found to be subfertile and was put back in training.
Hollendorfer said little was expected of Battle of Midway in Saturday’s workout.
“It was slow,” Hollendorfer said. “That was by design. He’s coming off a layoff.”
Battle of Midway was initially trained by Rodolphe Brisset when he resumed training this year.
Battle of Midway is owned by WinStar Farm and Don Alberto Stable, which reached a deal with an insurance company on a subfertility claim. Third in the 2017 Kentucky Derby, Battle of Midway has won 5 of 10 starts and earned $1,249,949.