Few expected to face Unique Bella in Beholder Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – Unique Bella will have four or five rivals when she starts as a prohibitive favorite in Saturday’s Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita.

As of Monday, the list of candidates include La Force, Munny Spunt, Paradise Woods, Shenandoah Queen, and Vale Dori. Munny Spunt must be supplemented for $8,000 when entries are taken on Wednesday, and trainer Doug O’Neill said that was the plan as of Monday.

Munny Spunt won the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at a mile at Del Mar last August and was fourth in an optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs on May 26 in her first start this year.

La Force, trained by Paddy Gallagher, and Shenandoah Queen, trained by John Sadler, are not certain runners, according to their trainers.

Unique Bella, the champion female sprinter of 2017, has not raced since finishing second in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap after a troubled start at Oaklawn Park on April 13.

Owned by Don Alberto Stable and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Unique Bella has won 7 of 10 starts and earned $852,400. In her only other start this year, Unique Bella won the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at 1 1/16 miles by nine lengths here on Feb. 10.

Selcourt, the winner of the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes at seven furlongs on March 24, will miss the Beholder Mile after a recent setback, but has resumed exercise, trainer John Sadler said. Selcourt’s next start may be the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 12, although Sadler has not ruled out the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch Stakes at 1 1/16 miles there on July 29.

“She’ll be good for Del Mar,” he said. “She’s out there every day, jogging and galloping. I would like to keep an open mind for the Clement Hirsch.”