Breeders’ Cup winner - Unrivaled Belle retires from racing after injury at Belmont Park
Retirement is a timely termination from a particular area of occupation, for horses this may be an immediate need. Such a termination of career recently became the fate of Unrivaled Belle. This was announced by her connections on June 18, 2011.
After coming second to Blind Luck in Saturday’s Grade 1 $250,000 Vanity Handicap she was all geared up for the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Handicap. But as the grey/roan filly was about to saddle up at Belmont Park on June 18, 2011, she injured the high part of
her back between her shoulders, more commonly known as withers.
The injury proved to be a career threatening one and she has now officially retired from racing. Trainer, Bill Mott, who was with her at the time of her injury had noticed that her withers were broken. The X-rays confirmed his opinion.
She received conditioning from trainer Bill Mott, who was saddened by her untimely retirement, and, earlier had hopes that she might recover. He said, “I’ve had horses come back from that and race and even win a stakes, it’s not an uncommon thing. But with
her, the year would be practically over”.
Never the less the mare was already going to be retired at this year’ end. This could be deduced by her trainer’s statement “If she were a gelding you’d give her six months off and she’d come back and she’d be fine, By the time you give her time to heal
up the year’s going to be over”.
Unrivaled Belle is a proud winner with 13 top finishes from 14 starts. Her lifetime earnings compound to $ 1,854,706. She is owned by Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso.
She was an accomplished graded stakes winner. Her marvellous wins include her having a victory in the Grade 1 Breeders’Cup Ladies’ Classic. She also defeated Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the early months of 2010. The race in which she was able to
accomplish this feat was held at Churchill Downs in the Grade 2 La Troienne, presented by Blackberry for fillies, and, mares.
She was sired by Unbridled's Song and is out of the mare Queenie Belle. Unbridled’s Song was also an accomplished champion in the US. Unrivaled Belle also shares lineage with a most influential race horse and sire, Mr. Prospector. Her mother was also a Grade
2 winner.
Her trainer earlier had often expressed his frustration regarding the trouble he used to face whenever he tried to saddle Unrivaled Belle and the time she took in the paddock. As for the current plans for the mare, Unrivalled Belle, will rest for several
weeks at the stall and then will probably make her way to her owner, Vegso’s farm, in Florida.
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