Unique Bella breezes five furlongs in Apple Blossom prep

ARCADIA, Calif. - For the champion Unique Bella, workouts have been a breeze in recent weeks.

At Santa Anita on Sunday, Unique Bella worked five furlongs under jockey Mike Smith in 57.80 seconds, the fastest of 108 recorded works at the distance. Clockers gave Unique Bella a description of breezing, which is rare in California, compared to the more vigorous designation of handily.

“She was going so easy on the track,” trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

A 4-year-old, Unique Bella has had descriptions of breezing in three of her last four workouts, all since mid-February.

Unique Bella, the champion female sprinter of 2017, is scheduled to start in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap, a $700,000 race at 1 1/16 miles for fillies and mares at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas on April 13.

Unique Bella missed an expected start in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Invitational at Santa Anita on March 17 because of an illness. Hollendorfer said Sunday that Unique Bella did “not miss much” training because of the setback.

Owned by Don Alberto Stable, Unique Bella has won her only start this year – a nine-length victory in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 10.

The Hollendorfer-trained Instilled Regard worked seven furlongs in 1:25.80 on Sunday in advance of the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 7. Instilled Regard won the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds on Jan. 13 and was fourth as the 7-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes there on Feb. 17 in his most recent start.