—Feb 10— Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith has ridden championship females in the past. He was, after all, the regular rider for Azeri and Zenyatta, to name just a few. It may be too soon to add Unique Bella to that list, but there is little doubt she has star potential.

She was the 1/20 favorite in the Grade II $200,000 Santa Maria Stakes. To put that in perspective, Mopotism, the second favorite, was 22/1.

Breaking third from the gate, she quickly collared Shenandoah Queen before going a half, then coated to an easy 2¾-length win over that rival.

“I really don’t think we’ve seen how good she can be,” Smith said afterwards. “I’ve surely seen how easily she’s doing things right now. I truly believe we haven’t gotten to the bottom of it. There could even be more in her. I’m excited to see what the future holds for her.”

Her trainer, Jerry Hollendorfer, has liked what he’s seen, too, particularly her ability to settle down before training and races. “She’s not quite as anxious as she used to be in the morning or the afternoon,” he said.

Smith knows he’s lucky to ride her. “I’m blessed,” said Smith.

—Feb 10— Hi Happy rebounded from his fourth place finish while favored in the Grade III W. L. McKnight Handicap in late January to post a two-length score in the Grade I Gulfstream Park Turf Stakes. The 6-year-old Todd Pletcher trainee beat Frontier Market, the 9/5 favorite.

Channel Maker, the place horse in the W. L. McKnight, finished third, a neck behind Frontier Market. Revved Up finished fourth, followed by Heat to Heart and One Go All Go.

—Feb 4— Bob Baffert had Dream Tree ready for her debut and jockey Drayden Van Dyke and Dream Tree did the rest, easily defeating a field of five other three-year-old fillies in the $200,345 Grade II Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita on Sunday.

The 1/5 favorite, Dream Tree broke slowly but quickly caught her stride and engaged Thirteen Squared for the lead, going past that rival before the half. Thereafter, the race was never really in doubt, with the Phoenix Stable star holding off the trio of Thirteen Squared, Step Being Steph and Travieza to win by three lengths.

“I just love the way she sat off those front-runners,” Baffert said after the race. “I know she has a lot of speed. I think she’s getting better mentally and she’s relaxing, and she really brought it at the end.”

—Feb 3— Audible leaped from the gate and never looked back, cruising to a 4½–length win in the 28^th running of the $350,000 Grade II Holy Bull Stakes at Gulstream Park on Saturday. Bet down to 1/5, the win puts Audible squarely on track for the upcoming Florida Derby and later, if things go well, the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May. As easy as it his win in the Holy Bull appeared, it wasn’t always part of the plan.

“We actually brought him down (to Florida) a little bit later because we were entered in the New York-bred stake, and then all the bad weather hit in New York and it got delayed and carried over,” train, Todd Pletcher explained. “Maybe it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The original plan was to run him in the New York-bred stake and then bring him down, but when all the bad weather hit we came up with a different strategy and it seemed to work out well today.

“He shipped in great and trained really well when he got here, so it kind of made it an easy decision that this was an easy race to target.”

Audible’s rider, Javier Castellano, was just as impressed. “Today he was sharp and had tactical speed in the race and we could move and he’d give me everything I asked of him. I love these kinds of horses … where you can move quick and can put them in a good position.

“It’s only a mile and sixteenth today, but the way he galloped out was amazing. I look forward to the next race.”

Free Drop Billy finished second under Luis Saez, prevailing in a three-way photo over Enticed and Tiz Mischief.

After those three came Hofburg, who finished well ahead of Mississippi.

—Feb 3— Take Charge Paula and My Miss Lilly broke away from a crowded field and staged a two-horse duel that went on for over a half-mile and, in the end, it was Take Charge Paula, the talented daughter of Take Charge Indy, who earned the winner’s share of the $200,000 purse in the Grade III Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream.

Take Charge Paula was running for the first time for owner Peter Deutsch and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

“[Trainer] Kelly [Breen] had won three stakes with her and someone mentioned that she was for sale,” McLaughlin said. “Peter [Deutsch] is new in our barn and he’s been looking for fillies that might later be broodmare prospects. It was a perfect case scenario. He said, ‘Sure, let’s try to get it done,’ and we bought her and here we are now, a graded-stakes winner.”

“I was a little nervous there for a minute when she was head and head; I didn’t know she was going to draw off,” McLaughlin added. “She leaned out a little bit and drifted a little bit but we’ve had some pretty good fillies do that in our past. At least she was still in front. Paco knows her and rode her well. I’m not sure what we’re going to do with her next. It’s been a pretty good day, so far.”

Jockey, Paco Lopez, elaborated: “I had a great trip and a great position. I know this filly really well and Kiaran told me she was a little nervous today, so just work with her. She’s a nice filly and ran great for Kiaran.”

—Feb 3— Got Stormy made her 2018 debut a memorable one, putting away Ferdinanda after a battle on the front end then easily resisting the late run by the favorite, Thewayiam, to win the $100,000 Grade III Sweetest Chant Stakes for three-year-old fillies on the turf by three easy lengths.

Thewayiam was second a neck, followed by Ferdinanda, Andina Del Sur, Cash Out and Go Noni Go.

—Feb 3— Courtlandt Farms’ Strike Power broke sharply, staying within striking distance of Promises Fulfilled, then ran that rival down entering the stretch enroute to a comfortable one-and-a-half length score in the $200,000 Grade III Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. His rider, Luis Saez, was impressed; his trainer Mark Hennig was as well.

“When he came to the stretch he was just waiting to take off,” Saez said. “The plan was to get to the lead … but I had the advantage on the outside, so I just broke and was right there. In the stretch he was waiting for the competition.”

The Swale is run at a distance of just 7 furlongs. After the race, Hennig said he is open to running his charge at longer distances. “There’s plenty of options out there,” he said. “Two turns would be an option. We’ll have to see that through, probably. He’s horse who seems to relax when he’s there and he’s quick enough to put himself in the front.”

A longshot in the Swale, Strike Power paid $31.20 to win. Promises Fulfilled finished second, followed by Magnum Moon (the 3/5 race favorite), Diamond King, Tricks to Doo and King Zachary.

—Feb 3— Red Oak Stable’s Bal Harbour rebounded from a fifth-place showing in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes in his debut at Gulfstream Park with an impressive length-and-a-quarter score in the Grade III Withers on Saturday, February 3 at Aqueduct. The Todd Pletcher trainee had to run down the top two favorites to do it, first going by the heavy favorite, Avery Island, then Firenze Fire. Away at 11/1, Bal Harbour paid $25.50 to win.

Like Bal Harbour, Jason Servis’ Firenze Fire was making his second start of the year, having raced previously in the Jermone Stakes in January, where, coincidentally, he finished second then, too, falling a length short to Gronkowski.

Godolphin’s Avery Island was also exiting the Jerome, where he finished third as the 3/5 favorite. He was bet down to 1/5 in the Withers and fared no better. Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and ridden by Joe Bravo, he is expected to make this next start in the Gotham in March.

—Feb 3— Hronis Racing LLC’s Accelerate made his 2018 debut in the Grade II $201,380 San Pasqual Stakes and made a strong case to support the contention that he is presently the best older horse in America. Ridden by Victor Espinoza, the John Sadler trainee broke a tad slowly, falling behind Prime Attraction to his inside and The Lieutenant to his outside, but Espinoza settled Accelerate behind the front-running duo, before “accelerating” past them before going a half.

From that point on, the race was never in doubt and the only real question was the winning margin. Accelerate answered that question, too, posting a three-and-a-half length score. The Lieutenant finished second and Prime Attraction hung on for third, outlasting Mubtaahij. After that it was nearly a dozen lengths back to Pavel and Top of the Game, who finished fifth and last, respectively.

Accelerate was the overwhelming 1/10 favorite and paid just $2.30 for the win. Meanwhile, The Lieutenant paid $5.10 to place as the 42/1 fifth choice in the betting.

Bred in Kentucky by Mike Abraham, Accelerate is by Lookin at Lucky and the stakes-placed Awesome Again mare, Issues. He is expected to make his next start in the Big ‘Cap at Santa Anita in March.

—Feb 3— Editore made amends for his dull showing in the San Gabriel Stakes in January with a convincing length-and-a-half score in the San Marcos Stakes on Saturday. The Paulo Lobo trained gelding did it with style, rallying from fourth place to overtake front-running Free Rose in a thrilling stretch run. Perhaps due to his lackluster effort in the San Gabriel, Editore 6/1 in the San Marcos, and paid $15.90 to win.

Free Rose, who was making his 2018 debut in the race, was the hard luck loser. The longest shot on the board at 26/1, he appeared to have the race won but tired badly inside the final eighth.

Itsinthepost, a six-year-old gelding bred in France and trained by Jeff Mullins, finished third as the 4/5 favorite, who earlier lost in the San Gabriel as the 2/5 choice (where he also finished third).