UNITED STATES-BRED UNBELIEVABLE FORCE should prefer the straight course of Sunday’s Charles Hussey Trophy after locking horns and fading against speedsters SHE’S A GOD GIFT and MONEY MARKET at five and a half furlongs on November 23.
Rushed from all but the widest draw in a race to the half-mile marker, UNBELIEVABLE FORCE got into a speed duel from post 13, chasing SHE’S A GOD GIFT, with MONEY MARKET tucked in along the rail waiting to pounce.
Coming off the home turn, especially with SHE’S A GOD GIFT spraying sand directly at her, UNBELIEVABLE FORCE suddenly quit, a far cry from her previous race at a mile when she carried RUN JULIE RUN to the last half-furlong.
Eased by Raddesh Roman, UNBELIEVABLE FORCE gave way, finishing sixth, while MONEY MARKET rallied against the rail to overhaul SHE’S A GOD GIFT, who had bravely carried the splits down the backstretch.
A winner of three races from seven starts, including 59.2 at five furlongs straight on September 14, UNBELIEVABLE FORCE doesn’t appear to fancy being embroiled in speed duels. In three of four losses, she quit when challenged, suggesting her best race is to stalk and pounce.
Though tackling five furlongs straight, a sprinter’s paradise, UNBELIEVABLE FORCE is fast enough to be rated on the heels of REJECTED RAJA, SPEEDIE HARE and CALIFORNIA GOLD, all quick but susceptible to a stalker with pace.
It will be extremely difficult for any runner from the first half of the draw to overcome the track bias, most being five-year-olds trapped in overnight allowance, whereas three-year-old UNBELIEVABLE FORCE only started campaigning four and a half months ago.
A satisfied Philip Feanny watched UNBELIEVABLE FORCE gallop 47.3 for four furlongs from the gate on Tuesday, a warning shot over the heads of her 15 rivals.