Charles E. Fipke's Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song), an admirable third in Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff behind champions Beholder and Songbird, will be given a rest in preparation for the 2017, trainer Dallas Stewart said Wednesday. The 4-year-old vaulted to the highest level with a score in Oaklawn's GI Apple Blossom H. in April and added a second Grade I score in the Beldame at Belmont Oct. 1. In Friday's race, the bay lagged in last early and closed resolutely to finish 1 1/4 lengths behind the celebrated 1-2 finishers.
“She ran behind two great fillies with two great trainers–we were just third best,” Stewart said. “She ran hard. It looked like we were going to get there for a second. We all like to win but we'll just have to accept it. We're just kind of chilling her out right now and try to repeat next year.”
Stewart added that two-time graded stakes winner Tom's Ready (More Than Ready), fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile earlier on Friday's card, will also not compete again in 2016.
The trainer has further reason to look toward the future as his 2-year-old Saint's Fan (Tale of Ekati) captured his six furlong debut at Churchill Friday. The Louisiana-bred will be sent to the Fair Grounds for a winter campaign, according to Stewart, who also bred and owns the colt.
“We're real happy with the way he ran here the other day so we'll take him down to Louisiana for Champions' Day,” Stewart said referring to the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile Stakes at Fair Grounds Dec. 10.
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