Unique Bella © Benoit Photo
Don Alberto Stable’s Unique Bella, the 2017 Eclipse Award winner as champion female sprinter, cruised wire-to-wire to win the featured Grade I $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Sunday at 1-9 odds under regular rider Mike Smith.
Although the final margin was only a half-length, Unique Bella and Smith appeared to have the fast-closing La Force measured at the wire, winning with something in reserve. Third, nine and one-quarter lengths back in third was Bernina Star, with Yuvetsi fourth. Shenandoah Queen was fifth and last. Withdrawn from the original field was Turkish Tabby. Smith revealed after the race that his mount lost a shoe leaving the gate.
Unique Bella, a four-year-old daughter of Tapit trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, won for the ninth time in a dozen lifetime outings and first money of $180,000 increased her earnings to $1,272,400. The filly also assured herself of a spot in the Breeders’ Distaff next November at Churchill Downs since the Hirsch Stakes is part of the “Win and You’re In” series of qualifying events.
Unique Bella stepped the mile and one-sixteenth in 1:44.40 and returned $2.20, $2.10 and $2.10. With heavy wagering to show on the winner, there was a Del Mar record minus show pool of $143,684. The former mark was $136,677 on August 10, 1996, the day Dare and Go upset Cigar in the Pacific Classic. Of $813,491 wagering to show, $742,267 of that amount was bet on Unique Bella to show. Additionally, there was a minus place pool of $1,995.
Runner-up La Force, who ran a creditable race under jockey Drayden Van Dyke, paid $2.80 and $2.40, while third-place Bernina Star returned $2.60 to show.
In Sunday’s supporting feature, the $150,000 Fleet Treat Stakes for California-bred three-year-old fillies, Nick Alexander’s Just Grazed Me made it two wins in as many starts with a come-from-behind triumph. With Tyler Baze in the saddle, Just Grazed Me rallied on the far outside turning into the stretch and drew out to score by three and one-half lengths in 1:23.60 for seven furlongs.
Shoe It N Moe It was second, with One Fast Broad third and 5-2 favored Spiced Perfection fourth in the field of seven fillies. Donut Girl was scratched.
Just Grazed Me, a daughter of Grazen trained by Phil D’Amato, paid $8.40, $4.60 and $3.60 while earning $85,500. Shoe It N Moe It returned $4.80 and $3.20 while One Fast Broad paid $3.40 to show.
Trainer Bob Baffert unveiled another talented two-year-old Sunday, sending out the debuting Roadster at 4-5 to win the sixth race by four and one-quarter lengths under Smith. Roadster, a son of Quality Road owned by Speedway Stable, ran six furlongs in 1:11.07 in an easy win.
There were 14 perfect tickets in the Pick Six and each was worth $ 9,778.60. The single ticket Jackpot going into Wednesday’s program is $181,259. Post time for the opener Wednesday is 2 p.m.
MIKE SMITH ((Unique Bella, winner) – “She ran OK. This wasn’t her best race, but it was OK. She blew a shoe coming away from there and she was a little uncomfortable (because of it). When she heard that other mare ((La Force) coming, she surged again. This wasn’t her best, but it was good enough.”
DRAYDEN VAN DYKE (La Force, second) – “Kind of like kissing your sister or cousin (running second). My filly ran the race of her life. She was really trying. But I saw (Unique Bella) jump forward when we got close to her. She (Unique Bella) dug back in.”
KENT DESORMEAUX (Bernina Star, third) – “She gave me all she had. She’s a giver.”
JERRY HOLLENDORFER (Unique Bella, winner) – “We take every race seriously and we took this one seriously. She won, and we’re happy with the way she did it. Until they hit the wire, you’re always concerned if they’ll get there. She’s been off awhile and we wanted to get a win so we could plan her next race, which either will be back east or here. We’re not sure yet.”
FRACTIONS: :23.25 :46.80 1:11.56 1:37.59 1:44.40
The stakes win the first of the meet, but sixth in the Clement L. Hirsch for rider Smith. He now has 67 stakes wins at Del Mar, 11th best all time.
The stakes win was the first of the meet but second (Lady of Fifty, 2013) in the Clement L. Hirsch for trainer Hollendorfer. He now has 32 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winner is owned by Don Alberto Stable, which is the nom du course of Fernando Diaz Valdes of Lexington, KY.
There was a minus show pool of $143,684 on the race, which establishes a record at Del Mar. The previous record was $136,677 registered on August 10, 1996, the Pacific Classic in which Cigar was upset by Dare And Go.
The total amount bet to show on the Clement L. Hirsch today was $813,491. Of that amount, $742,267 was bet on winner Unique Bella.
Additionally, there was a $1,995 minus place pool on the Clement L. Hirsch.