Unique Bella survives challenges early, late

After three straight romping wins by a combined 26½ lengths, Unique Bella was more than up to a challenge in the stretch of the Grade 3, $100,345 Santa Ysabel Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.

Abel Tasman, who also had won three straight races including the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes, cut Unique Bella’s 5length advantage to 1 length in midstretch and appeared to have all the momentum.

But jockey Mike Smith got Unique Bella’s attention with light left-handed whipping, and she rebroke to hit the wire 2¼ lengths ahead of Abel Tasman. It was 8 lengths farther back to third-place finisher Spooky Woods — a Jerry Hollendorfer-trained stablemate of Unique Bella.

“When that horse came to her, she opened up daylight right away, so that’s a good thing,” Hollendorfer said. “She didn’t get out of the gate well, so she was compromised in the beginning. We’ll fix that.”

Unique Bella, the 1-to-10

favorite, broke sluggishly from the No. 1 post position in the 11⁄16-mile race and was momentarily fourth before rushing between Tap It All and Spooky Woods to gain the lead on the first turn. She effortlessly increased her lead until the stretch run.

“We got left really bad leaving there,” Smith said. “When a horse has natural speed, they want to make it up. If I can just get her to get out of there a little better, the sky’s the limit.”

Unique Bella, whose only loss came in her debut, hasn’t appeared in a Grade 1 event, but that will change with the Santa Anita Oaks on April 8. The major goal for the striking gray filly is the Kentucky Oaks on May 5 at Churchill Downs. Kentucky Derby preps: Heavy favorites flopped in the Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.

Irish War Cry went off 11to-10 in the Fountain of Youth Stakes but tired to seventh as Gunnevera finished powerfully for a 5¾-length victory. Gunnevera ($10.40) had finished second — 3¾ lengths behind Irish War Cry — in the Holy Bull Stakes.

El Areeb went off 2-to-5 in the Gotham Stakes after four straight decisive victories, but he faded to third — beaten by 11 lengths — after setting the pace. J Boys Echo ($14.80), who finished 4¾ lengths behind El Areeb when third in the Withers Stakes, rolled past him in the stretch, and so did runnerup Cloud Computing.