Unique Bella favored in Breeders’ Cup prep

Workouts aren’t races, but Unique Bella’s drills emphatically suggest she will have a triumphant comeback in the Grade 3, $100,000 LA Woman Stakes on Sunday at Santa Anita.

On Wednesday, she went 4 furlongs in 45.60 seconds; the next fastest time of 33 was 47.80.

On Sept.27, she went 6 furlongs in 1:11.60; the next fastest of 10 was 1:13.00.

On Sept. 20, she went 5 furlongs in 59.00; the next fastest of 44 was 59.60.

On Sept. 14, she went 5 furlongs in 58.20; the next fastest of 24 was 1:00.60.

On Sept. 8, she went 4 furlongs in 47.20; the next fastest of 22 was 47.80.

The gray 3-year-old filly’s two early September workouts were the only ones of 133 at any distance to be designated “breezing” instead of “handily” — meaning they were accomplished with no urging from the rider.

“A lot of good horses seem to work effortlessly,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

Unique Bella’s races prove that she is very good, despite two respites because of sore shins — comparable to shin splints in a human.

The first layoff came after she finished second in her debut June 16, 2016. She returned with a 10¼-length victory Nov. 26, then romped in three straight graded stakes before the shins flared up again in March.

“You have a lot of weight on a rather small surface, so they get those problems from time to time,” Hollendorfer said. “She’s gotten bigger and stronger, and that would be normal for a horse that was turned out and put on weight and kept it on, too.”

Unique Bella is the 1-5 morning-line favorite for Sunday’s 6½-furlong event, which serves as a final prep for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.

Of her seven opponents, only 6-1 Bad Ju Ju, 8-1 Princess Karen and 15-1 Cuddle Alert have won even one nongraded stakes.

Unique Bella beat much better horses in the winter: Abel Tasman subsequently won three Grade 1 events, including the Kentucky Oaks; It Tiz Well, also trained by Hollendorfer, won a Grade 1 and two Grade 3s; and Champagne Room was the champion 2-year-old filly in 2016.

“Based on what happened in the past, if she comes back to what she was, then the future would look bright for her,” Hollendorfer said.

Such understated confidence is the Hall of Fame trainer’s style.

“I don’t like to be a predictor,” he said. “Muhammad Ali was good at it; I haven’t been as good at it.”