Weekend Rewind: Unique Bella even better around two turns

HRN's Weekend Rewind looks back at races of note from around the country Saturday: 

One turn good, two better for Bella

After the Grade 1 La Brea, all I heard was how Paradise Woods and Abel Tasman would be able to defeat Unique Bella going two turns. Why? Because they said that those two would improve going two turns, while Unique Bella was better as a sprinter.

Tell me, did Unique Bella's complete dominance of Saturday's Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes change your opinion? Because it should have.

In the Santa Maria, Unique Bella proved why she is not better as a sprinter, but rather a router. In a route, she can maintain a comfortable much faster pace than most other distance runners. It's that high cruising speed that leads to Unique Bella running her competition into the ground, and that is exactly what happened Saturday.

Unique Bella went to the front and set what would be considered legitimate early fractions for most. But it seemed a walk in the park for her.

I know some will ask: but how do you know she really is better? It’s not as if Abel Tasmen or Paradise Woods was even in the race.

True. But Mopotism was.

Yes, the same Mopotism that was only 2 1/2 lengths behind Unique Bella in the seven-furlong La Brea, was left nine lengths in her wake going 1 1/16 miles Santa Maria. It would seem that the difference of one turn to two translates to a Unique Bella that is six and a half lengths better.

Given that this was Unique Bella's first start of the year, I only see this filly getting better. Another thing I see is Unique Bella dominating this California older female division -- and yes, that includes Paradise Woods and Abel Tasman.

No clarity provided in Derby preps

Answer me this: How exactly does Tampa Bay Downs manage to speed up its track so much?

It seems like every year we see a new track record in the Sam F. Davis or Tampa Bay Derby, only to have the winner(s) come back and tank against the heavy hitters in the Kentucky Derby.

I don’t know if that will be the case for the top three in this year’s Sam F. Davis. Maybe Flameaway is just getting good. Maybe Catholic Boy needed the race. And maybe Vino Rosso will improve with a better trip.

Personally, I would say the quirky surface moved Flameaway up, as it does some horses, and to not expect much from him. I would also say I’d like to see Catholic Boy run elsewhere to see if he does improve over a more conventional track with this race under his belt.

The San Vicente also didn’t do much to add or subtract to the Kentucky Derby picture. The race was a toss for Ax Man, who went way too fast too early and paid the price.

For Nero, it showed just how quirky he is, and just how badly he’ll react when hit with the whip, and who the heck knows what to make of Kanthaka? The horse certainly looked impressive, but he had the race handed to him on a silver platter, and his pedigree lacks any major distance influences while being stacked with sprinter and middle-distance speed.

At this point, he screams closing sprinter, but doesn’t even whisper Derby horse.

World Approval ready for banner year

In his 2018 bow, World Approval showed no signs of wear from his 2017 championship campaign. In fact, one could argue that he looked even better.

The short Tampa Bay Stakes margin of victory might deter some, but it shouldn’t, as it was clear World Approval had the race wrapped by mid-stretch. It was only due to the borderline cocky handling he received from John Velazquez that the German-bred Forge managed to get as close as half a length.

World Approval displayed his talent with an impressive middle move. He finished his final 1/16 of a mile well in spite of that.

In order to get into a good striking position, World Approval shot out a :23.23 quarter from the half to the six furlong pole, then followed that up with a :24.13 quarter, which was run around a turn.

Despite laying down those splits, the grey still came home in :05.92.

If World Approval can keep up this type of form through 2018, his odds of making it back-to-back Eclipse Awards seem solid.