Lothenbach Stables Inc.'s Bell's the One collared pacesetter Joyful Cadence and longtime rival Sconsin in deep stretch to win Saturday's 13th running of the $295,000 Open Mind at Churchill Downs by one length.
The victory in the listed stakes marked Bell's the One's 11th career stakes win and sixth overall at Churchill Downs, which is believed the most by any horse dating back to 1991 (Note: Statistics prior to 1991 are incomplete). Previously, Bell's the One prevailed in the Lady Tak in August at Churchill Downs.
Ridden by Corey Lanerie for trainer Neil Pessin, Bell's the One ran six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.43.
As expected, Joyful Cadence dictated the pace in the compact field of three fillies and mares as she dashed down the backstretch through a first quarter mile in :22.17 with Sconsin two lengths back and Bell's the One another three behind.
Sconsin began to engage the leader on the turn for home and drew even with Joyful Cadence at the top of the stretch as the two clocked a half-mile in :45.16.
Bell's the One spotted the leaders multiple lengths but began to hit her best stride when she tipped outside in upper stretch. She responded readily at the three-sixteenths pole when she was shaken up by Lanerie, and ranged up to Joyful Cadence and Sconsin in the final furlong with a good kick and relentlessly drove past the duo in the final sixteenth of mile.
“She always gives it her all and I was very confident with her today,” Lanerie said. “It was a short field but we were still able to play into her tactics of running from off the pace. I gave her a few reminders late to keep going but she knew where the wire was and got the job done.”
Bell's the One banked the $205,000 first prize and improved her record to 13 wins, five seconds and a trio of thirds in 27 starts. Her career earnings total $2,000,675.
She is now 6-for-12 at Churchill Downs and 9-of-10 at the six-furlong distance.
“Originally I wasn't planning on running in this spot but (Bell's the One) told me she needed to run,” Pessin said. “So, we ran. She's run well wherever she goes but always likes to run here at Churchill. If she tells me she wants to run in three weeks, we'll go to the (Oct. 8) Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) at Keeneland and if she's ready to run after that, we'll look at the Breeders' Cup.”
Bell's the One returned $3.08 to win. There was no place or show betting after the field was reduced to three following the scratches of Cheetara and Club Car. Joyful Cadence finished three-quarters of a length in front of Sconsin for the runner-up honors.
Bell's the One is a 6-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection out of the Street Cry mare Street Mate and was bred in Kentucky by Bret Jones.
With six Churchill Downs' stakes wins since 1991, Bell's the One separated herself from five-time winners Limousine Liberal, Mr. Misunderstood, and Wise Dan.
Saturday's race saluted the late Eugene Klein's Hall of Fame filly Open Mind, the D. Wayne Lukas-trained winner of the 1988 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs who returned to the Louisville track the following spring to win the Kentucky Oaks. The New Jersey-bred filly was an Eclipse Award champion at ages two and three. A winner of 12 races and $1,844,372 in 19 starts, the daughter of Deputy Minister was enshrined in Racing's Hall of Fame in 2011.
The post ‘She Always Gives It Her All’: Bell’s The One Bests Two Rivals In Churchill’s Open Mind appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
