Unrivaled Belle

2nd-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 12:38 p.m. ET. Whisper Hill homebred TAP MY BELLE (Tapit) makes her first start for trainer Ralph Nicks. The gray is out GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song), who was bred and raced by Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso. Initially, she was purchased by Brushwood Stable for $2.8 million as the fourth highest price at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale. Five years later at the same auction, Whisper Hill made the mare the sales topper when Mandy Pope took her...

4th-Tampa Bay Downs, $32,000, Msw, 12-31, 2yo, f, 1m 40y, 1:42.46, ft, 6 1/2 lengths. WHOCOULDASKFORMO (f, 2, Uncle Mo--Midnight Belle, by Bernardini), third in her seven-furlong Aqueduct debut Dec. 1, ran to her 1-5 favoritism after shipping south to Tampa and picking up the added distance. Racing behind most of the field through a mild half in :49.17, she began to pick up the bridle with a rally into the far turn and swept to the front past Princess Aleska (Lord Nelson). The class of the field to the...

A homebred for Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso, Unrivaled Belle's Breeders' Cup win came at the expense of the following year's Horse of the Year Havre de Grace, who finished third. The two mares would eventually share common ownership, both being purchased by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm, and live together at Timber Town before Havre de Grace's passing earlier this year. The crown jewel among Unrivaled Belle's foals to date is two-time champion Unique Bella. Unrivaled Belle has a 2-year-old full-sister to Unique Bella named Tap My Belle, as...

Snapping a six-race slide and returning to the winner's enclosure for the first-time since his GII Gotham S. win in the spring, Raise Cain (c, 3, Violence--Lemon Belle, by Lemon Drop Kid) nipped Dr. Venkman (Ghostzapper) in the shadow of the wire to score in the Perryville S. The aforementioned GI Kentucky Derby prep race has been his only victory in 2023, and in pairing with a nose runner-up effort in the GIII Indiana Derby July 8 to familiar foe GSW & MGISP Verifying (Justify), has been the only time...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for a busy Saturday running at Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourse, including a pair by American Pharoah and the stakes debut of the exciting Vanishing Point. Sunday's runners will feature in Saturday's TDN: Saturday, October 24, 2020 4th-KYO, ¥13,400,000 ($128k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m RUSSIAN SAMOVAR (f,...

It's a toss-up, really, as to who made the bigger splash in 2017--the Don Alberto Corporation itself, or their superstar filly Unique Bella (Tapit). Three years ago, Don Alberto Corporation continued their traditional annual shopping spree at the fall breeding stock sales, spending a combined $8.3 million at Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton, plus an additional $3.35 million in partnership purchases at the Keeneland November Sale. Meanwhile, their $400,000 2015 Keeneland September purchase Unique Bella shone bright as a 3-year-old with four consecutive graded stakes wins and a later victory in the...

In the front field of Timber Town Stables along Lexington's Leestown Road, a quiet gray grazes contentedly while keeping a close eye on her two-month-old foal napping nearby. The mare takes a step towards you when approached, but the foal remains in a deep slumber, her four limbs stretched out in all different directions as she enjoys the afternoon sunlight. She opens her eyes slowly when you speak, begrudgingly making her way onto her nimble legs only when coaxed While she enjoys the care-free life of a newborn now, the...

Elizabeth 'Betty' Ranney Moran, who raced the likes of 1985 GI Belmont S. winner Creme Fraiche (Rich Cream) and bred the likes of champion Unique Bella and Hard Spun, passed away peacefully at her home in Malvern, Pennsylvania, Thursday, Jan. 23. She was 89 years old. "She was probably the most generous person I've ever met, not to just write a check, but ring a bell for the Salvation Army in downtown Philly. She was a tough, enthusiastic, hard-driving woman and we will all miss her very much," said Eaton...