Lothenbach Stables' Grade 1 winner Bell's the One and Lloyd Madison Farm's multiple graded stakes winner Sconsin, two of the top filly and mare sprinters in the country, are set to clash Saturday in an extremely competitive renewal of the $200,000 Chicago Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.
Bell's the One and Sconsin were entered against seven rivals in the seven-furlong Chicago. First post Saturday is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. and the Chicago will go as Race 9 of 10 with a post time of 4:55 p.m.
Bell's the One and Sconsin have faced one another in several starts. Most recently, Sconsin got the better of Bell's the One by a half-length in the $300,000 Open Mind. Prior to that start, Bell's the One was victorious by three-quarters of a length over Scosin in the $110,000 Roxelana.
Trained by Neil Pessin, Bell's the One has won four of her 11 lifetime starts at Churchill Downs. Her most notable win was in the 2020 Derby City Distaff (G1) where she defeated former Kentucky Oaks heroine Serengeti Empress by a scant nose. Jockey Corey Lanerie has ridden Bell's the One in 19 of 24 starts. He'll be aboard the 6-year-old Majesticperfection mare from post No. 4.
Sconsin, trained by Greg Foley, returned four weeks ago from an eight month layoff in the $200,000 Winning Colors (G3). In the Winning Colors, Sconsin defeated four rivals by three-quarters of a length. Churchill Downs leading rider Tyler Gaffalione was named on the 5-year-old Include mare and drew post 7.
Whitham Thoroughbreds multiple Grade 3 winner Four Graces will attempt to avenge her runner-up effort in last month's $750,000 Derby City Distaff (G1) in the Chicago. Trained by Ian Wilkes, Four Graces won the 2020 Dogwood (G3) and Beaumont (G3) as a 3-year-old. In the Derby City Distaff, the now 5-year-old mare, battled hard against Obligatory but fell three-quarters of a length short. Regular rider Julien Leparoux will be in the saddle from post 6.
Belladonna Racing's $160,000 Roxelana Stakes winner Bayerness returns for the Chicago. Bayerness scored a 4 ½-length win in the April 30 Roxelana, her first start in more than eight months for trainer Cherie DeVaux. Jockey Luis Saez will be in town to pilot the five-time winning daughter of Bayern from the rail.
Godolphin's Pennybaker is another talented filly that was entered in the Chicago. The five-time winner, trained by Mike Stidham, arrived in his barn this spring from France and sports a stout 6 ¾-length victory in the $100,000 Heavenly Cause Stakes. The daughter of Medaglia d'Oro is on a five-race win streak which dates back to Aug. 19, 2021 at Deauville when she broke her maiden. Pennybaker will be ridden by James Graham out of post 2.
The Chicago field is rounded out by 2021 La Brea (G1) winner Kalypso and Grade 3 winner Lady Rocket.
This will be the second time the Chicago Stakes has been run at Churchill Downs. The storied race was previously run at Arlington. The other time the Chicago was run at Churchill Downs was in 2017 when Finley'sluckycharm defeated nine rivals as the heavy 1-5 favorite.
Here's the field in order of post positions (with jockey and trainer):
- Bayerness (Saez, DeVaux)
- Pennybaker (Graham, Stidham)
- Lady Rocket (Ricardo Santana Jr., Brad Cox)
- Bell's the One (Lanerie, Pessin)
- Kalypso (Gerardo Corrales, Steve Asmussen)
- Four Graces (Leparoux, Wilkes)
- Sconsin (Gaffalione, Foley)
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