Stewart: Unbridled Forever poised to run big in Alabama

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Over the last five years, graded stakes races have been a bugaboo for trainer Dallas Stewart.

Since Macho Again won the Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs on June 13, 2009, Stewart has run in 71 graded stakes, winning just two. One of those came via disqualification. During that time, however, he has run second in 10 graded events, including twice in the Kentucky Derby, once in the Woodward (to Rachel Alexandra) and once in the Whitney.

“If you think about it, it drives you a little bit crazy,” Stewart said Wednesday at Saratoga.

So, Stewart tries not to think about it much. He is more intent on looking forward than looking back, and he is very much looking forward to running Unbridled Forever in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga.

Unbridled Forever has been the epitome of Stewart’s recent stakes experience, finishing third or second in four consecutive graded stakes. Most recently, she finished second to Stopchargingmaria in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks here July 20.

Since then, however, Stewart said he has seen Unbridled Forever take a giant step forward, and he thinks she is ready to run the race of her life in the 1 1/4-mile Alabama.

“Her energy’s picked up, her weight’s solid, she’s just tearing the feed tub up,” Stewart said. “Her training every day is consistent, just better. She’s ready for a marquee race.”

Since finishing fifth in her debut last October at Churchill, Unbridled Forever has never been worse than third. In the winter, she won the listed Silverbulletday Stakes and then finished third to Untapable in the Fair Grounds Oaks and Kentucky Oaks. Unbridled Forever cut back to one turn for the Grade 1 Acorn, finishing third behind Sweet Reason, who came back to win the Grade 1 Test.

In the Coaching Club, she was no match for Stopchargingmaria – who is back in the Alabama – while finishing four lengths clear of the rest of the field.

“Going a mile and a quarter, my filly looks like she can grind it out through the stretch a little bit,” Stewart said. “She’s a fighter. She looks like she’s trying hard to win a race.”

Joel Rosario has ridden Unbridled Forever in her last two starts, but he is in Chicago on Saturday, so Rosie Napravnik will ride her then.

Unbridled Forever drew the rail. Outside of her, in post-position order, will be Miss Besilu, America, Joint Return, Got Lucky, Fortune Pearl, Catch My Drift, Stopchargingmaria, and Size.