Cough knocks Unique Bella out of Santa Margarita

ARCADIA, Calif. – Eclipse Award winner Unique Bella will not make the Grade 1, $400,000 Santa Margarita Stakes this Saturday at Santa Anita after having a cough and missing some training time last week, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Monday.

Although Unique Bella has gone back to the track and has resumed galloping, she has not had a workout since Feb. 25.

“We’re not going to run in the Santa Margarita,” Hollendorfer said. “She had a little cough. There’s no reason to take a chance.”

Unique Bella most recently won the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes on Feb. 10, her seventh victory in nine starts. Earlier this meet, she also won the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26, that victory was pivotal in her claiming the Eclipse Award as champion female sprinter for 2017.

Hollendorfer said he hoped to get Unique Bella back into a regular work pattern soon.

The Santa Margarita, at 1 1/8 miles, had 11 nominations on March 3, with Unique Bella the standout. Had she run, the field likely would have been small. With Unique Bella out, the field size will undoubtedly grow, and there could be some late additions to the field, as supplementary entries are allowed at entry time Wednesday for $8,000.