Unrivaled Belle

Don Alberto Stable’s Unique Bella was favored at 1-9 for Sunday’s Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch, but German-bred La Force made a race of it at 8-1, flying late in the final eighth of a mile. Mike Smith had to drop down on Unique Bella’s back to urge her on, but the 4-year-old daughter of […]

What’s unique about Unique Bella? “She’s a champion, that’s what’s unique about her,” Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said when asked the question Saturday morning. There is that. The 4-year-old gray daughter of Tapit out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Unrivaled Belle, has eight wins in 11 starts for owner Don Alberto Stable and earnings of […]

Sometimes, breeding top-class horses looks so easy. Just take three-time leading sire Tapit (by Pulpit) and breed him to a mare who won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, and there you have it, champion Unique Bella, who won the Eclipse Award as the best sprint filly of 2017. Doesn’t that look simple? Unique Bella makes it […]

Don Alberto Stable’s Unique Bella was ultra-impressive in Saturday’s G2 Santa Maria Stakes, galloping to a nine-length win in the 1 1/16-mile contest. The Tapit filly out of Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic winner Unrivaled Belle was timed in 1:43.45 over the fast main track at Santa Anita, and jockey Mike Smith hardly had to move […]

Don Alberto Stable’s talented sophomore filly Unique Bella had to be withdrawn from consideration from both the Santa Anita Oaks and the Kentucky Oaks with shin soreness, but it appears the daughter of Tapit will be returning to training soon. According to bloodhorse.com, Unique Bella has been walking the shed row at Santa Anita and visiting […]

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer’s budding superstar filly Unique Bella was sent out for an impressive five furlong breeze in 1:00.20 “breezing” early Thursday morning as she prepares for what her connections hope will be her fourth consecutive win in the Grade III Santa Ysabel Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on March 4. A 3-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter […]

Jerry Hollendorfer may just have another top 3-year-old filly on his hands. Don Alberto Stable’s Unique Bella, a daughter of Tapit, put on an absolute show in Sunday’s G2 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita, taking over the lead on the backstretch and galloping home to win by at 8 3/4 lengths. Jockey Mike Smith […]

Don Alberto Stable’s Unique Bella was quite simply a class above her rivals in Sunday’s G2 Santa Ynez, taking a four-wide trip in stride and drawing away to win by 7 1/2 lengths under Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith. The 3-year-old daughter of Tapit covered seven furlongs over Santa Anita’s fast main track in […]

Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale concluded Sunday with solid results that further recent trends toward selectivity and strength in the top and middle markets. Spirited competition among the world’s top buyers for quality individuals resulted in the sale of 19 horses for $1 million or more, highlighted by the $3.8 million paid for 2010 Breeders’ […]

The bullish market continued Wednesday at Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale with eight million-dollar-plus sales, topped by the $3.8 million paid by Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm for 2010 G1 Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic winner and millionaire Unrivaled Belle, in foal to leading sire Tapit. The purchase price for Unrivaled Belle is the highest for […]