derby city distaff | Horse Racing Free Tips

Bell’s the One Gearing Up For Return

Lothenbach Stables' Bell's the One (Majesticperfection), who became the first Grade I winner for trainer Neil Pessin in last year's Derby City Distaff ahead of a third-place effort to champion 'TDN Rising Star' Gamine (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.60 (9/36) at the Fair Grounds Feb. 28. Pessin confirmed that the GI Madison S. at Keeneland Apr. 4, in which his charge was a pace-compromised third in the coronavirus-delayed 2020 renewal last July, is the jumping-off spot for the mare's 5-year-old campaign.

“She's doing very well and we are right on schedule to run at Keeneland,” the affable conditioner said Monday from New Orleans.

Following the Filly & Mare Sprint, where she was beaten by the nose of Serengeti Empress (Alternation) for second, Bell's the One was turned out for six weeks at Chesapeake Farm in Lexington. Pessin said she arrived at the Fair Grounds in early January, galloped for about a month and has turned in four breezes since.

“She's on a weekly training schedule, just depends on the weather and the track,” Pessin said. “We're pretty happy with where we are right now, so we do have some flexibility if needed. I'm not on a tight schedule. She'll be ready to rock and roll when Keeneland comes around.”

The trainer has no reservations about training up to the Madison.

“Very,” he said when asked about his level of confidence running in the Madison without a prep. “I have a lot of confidence in her. I'll be honest with you, if my filly runs her race–there has to be a little bit of a pace set-up for her at Keeneland–but with any sort of pace whatsoever, she ought to be tough. I don't think Gamine is coming and I'm really not worried about anything else.”

Pessin has never been one to rack up big numbers, but my any metric, 2020 was a banner year, with a victory in the GIII Winning Colors S. over an insufficient six-furlong trip in addition to the Derby City Distaff, where she got just the better of Serengeti Empress following a final-furlong throwdown.

“Well, winning the Derby City Distaff was nice, especially the fashion we did it,” he said. “Breeders' Cup, if we'd have been second–we had to wait a little bit turning for home and I think it cost us the nose. But with that being said, she ran a big race.

He continued, “Overall, having a horse like her in the barn is very exciting, makes you want to get up in the morning. I do wish she'd have been a finalist in the [Eclipse] balloting, because I do think she belonged on the list. We ran against Serengeti [Empress] twice, we beat her a nose and she beat us a nose. I feel we could have beaten her in the Breeders' Cup with a little more luck. I hope we get a shot to win one or two more Grade Is this year and she stays healthy and everything goes well.”

As for the rest of this year, Pessin said that the team will chart a course backwards from this year's Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6 following her first two starts. From there, her future remains an open question.

“I would say it depends on how healthy she stays and how well she runs,” Pessin said. “Bob breeds his own, but that doesn't necessarily mean she'll go straight to the breeding shed when this year is over.

“I want to do whatever is best for her,” Pessin added. “If I think she is 100% good to go for another year, then it'd be up to Bob and [racing manager] Drew [Nardiello] whether to race her or not. But I won't race her unless she's 100%.”

The post Bell’s the One Gearing Up For Return appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Pessin: Derby City City Distaff Winner Bell’s The One Likely To Train Up To Filly & Mare Sprint

Lothenbach Stables' classy sprinter Bell's the One, the narrow victor of the $500,000 Derby City Distaff (Grade 1) at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5, will search for Breeders' Cup glory in the $1-million Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) on Nov. 7, according to trainer Neil Pessin.

Bell's the One, ridden by Corey Lanerie, stormed from off the pace to defeat 2019 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Serengeti Empress by a scant nose on the wire of the Derby City Distaff. The victory vaulted the Majesticperfection filly to one of the top contenders for the season-ending championship event at Keeneland.

“This filly amazes us every time because how hard she tries,” Pessin said. “It was an unbelievable stretch drive in the (Derby City Distaff) with a very classy filly in Serengeti Empress. It was a great horse race.”

Pessin reported Bell's the One is likely to bypass Keeneland's local prep for the Filly & Mare Sprint, the $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) on Oct. 3, and will train up to the Breeders' Cup.

The post Pessin: Derby City City Distaff Winner Bell’s The One Likely To Train Up To Filly & Mare Sprint appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Bell’s The One Nips Serengeti Empress At The Wire In Derby City Distaff Stakes

Serengeti Empress set determined fractions on Saturday in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff Stakes at Churchill Downs, and she nearly pulled off a blazing victory at the site of her 2019 Kentucky Oaks victory, but for the nostril of a late-moving Bell's the One.

Bell's the One, a 4-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection, was unhurried out of the gate by jockey Corey Lanerie while post-time favorite Serengeti Empress got to the rail quickly and ran hard to an opening quarter in :21.95 seconds, chased closely on the outside by Bellafina. The eventual winner remained well distanced from Serengeti Empress through the turn as the leader clicked a half-mile in :43.77 seconds.

Tyler Gaffalione, riding Serengeti Empress in a race for the first time, was riding easily on the leader despite the hot fractions, and her closest challenger at the time, Ce Ce, appeared to be out of range to catch them. However, jockey Corey Lanerie roused Bell's the One to life at the quarter pole, and the filly engaged with the rest of the pack by the three-sixteenths pole.

Bell's the One was up to third by the eighth pole, and Gaffalione had begun to ask Serengetti Empress for more on the lead. The challenger was still a length behind with a sixteenth to go, and the two locked horns as the wire drew close. Trading head bobs at the finish line, Bell's the One won the photo by a nose over Serengeti Empress. Sally's Curlin, also well back early on, closed from the outside to finish third.

Bell's the One completed the seven-furlong race in 1:21.07 over a fast main track. She paid $10.40 to win as the field's co-third choice

The Derby City Distaff was the first Grade 1 victory for trainer Neil Pessin, who saddled the winner for Lothenbach Stables.

Saturday's victory was the seventh win in 14 career starts for Bell's the One, and her third graded stakes win, growing her lifetime earnings to $790,040. She won the G3 Winning Colors Stakes at Churchill Downs two starts earlier, and she took last year's G2 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland.

Bell's the One was bred in Kentucky by Bret Jones, out of the winning Street Cry mare Street Mate. The winner was a $155,000 purchase by Lothenbach Stables at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton July Selected Yearling Sale.

To view the race chart, click here.

DERBY CITY DISTAFF QUOTES – Courtesy of the Churchill Downs Press Office

Corey Lanerie (winning rider, Bell's the One) – “The race set up just like I thought. I was hoping someone would go with Serengeti Empress. I figured Bellafina would press her and Johnny (Velazquez on Ce Ce) would be sitting third in the catbird seat. I thought she might be hard to get by coming off a 1 1/16-mile race, but my filly has her style. I let her stay back there because I know when I call on her, she has a turn of foot like no tomorrow. When I was three or four lengths behind them, I was pretty confident that I was going to run by them pretty easy, but it wasn't so easy. Serengeti Empress fought back. I actually thought she had gotten the bob.”

Neil Pessin (winning trainer, Bell's the One) – “That was an unbelievable horse race. Tom Amoss and I actually joked before the photo came out that we would take a dead heat. This filly had a great trip once again with Corey (Lanerie). He fits this filly so well. She sat behind that really fast pace and was so impressive. I'm so proud of her and so thankful for the owners.”

“I've been Grade I-placed but have never had a Grade I winner. I've had a bunch of Grade II and Grade III winners. Never a Grade I. I thought I'd gone by her, and then I thought she came back. I wasn't sure if we'd won, second or dead-heated. It was just too close to call. I knew it was pretty close and I didn't know who won.”

“I was happy whether we'd won or lost. Maybe now she'll get a little respect, because she's never gotten it any time she's run. She tries hard every time. The only times she's ever gotten beat, it was my fault. Not hers.”

On Breeders' Cup F&M Sprint: “I think you have to. I think that's your only choice. That will be her next race. We gave her two months between her last race and this one and it's another two months to the Breeders' Cup. She does well with the spacing. It sets up good for her and she's won before at seven-eighths at Keeneland in the Grade II Raven Run.”

Tyler Gaffalione (rider, Serengeti Empress, second) – (Talking to owner Dr. Joel Politi and his family after Serengeti Empress' head-bob defeat): “That was a tough one. I'm so sorry guys. It was a great effort. I feel terrible. I really wish I could have gotten it done for you guys. She kept fighting.”

At the wire: “It was tight. When you're battling down the lane like that — head bob, head bob — you don't really know. You just hope for the best. It just wasn't our day. She goes out there and she does her thing and just keeps fighting. She's a tremendous filly. I'm so happy I got to ride her. They got her today, hopefully we can get them next time.”

Tom Amoss (trainer, Serengeti Empress, second) — “I think the major players attacked us early, earlier than they would have ordinarily done in a race but they knew that she was the speed. That made it really difficult on her and when you're laying back and just picking up the pieces and everyone else is doing the dirty work, that can work to your advantage. It was a great horse race and the winner ran great. Make no mistake about it, I couldn't be more proud of my girl. We didn't get it today but she ran her heart out and we'll get one more chance in November (in the Breeders' Cup) at Keeneland.”

The post Bell’s The One Nips Serengeti Empress At The Wire In Derby City Distaff Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Bell’s The One Denies Serengeti Empress in Derby City Distaff

In a race that did not deserve a loser, Lothenbach Stables’ Bell’s the One (Majesticperfection) took advantage of the ultimate race flow for her one-run style and dropped her nose down on the wire ahead of a desperately unlucky 2019 GI Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress (Alternation) to win the GI Derby City Distaff S. at Churchill Downs.

Taken back off the pace, as is her custom, Bell’s The One laid fifth as Serengeti Empress, last-out winner of the GI Ballerina S. at Saratoga, dueled on a scorching pace inside of Bellafina (Quality Road) through a sub :22-second opening quarter. The tough-as-teak Serengeti Empress swatted away her pace pressure despite cutting the half-mile in :43 3/5 and she turned for home in front. Corey Lanerie began to get after Bell’s The One at the quarter pole and she came with her patented late run, looking as if she might blow right by the front-runner.

Serengeti Empress dug in with dogged determination, but ultimately just failed to hold the late lunge of Bell’s The One.

It was a first career Grade I winner for lifelong horseman Neil Pessin.

“That was an unbelievable horse race,” Pessin said. “Tom Amoss and I actually joked before the photo came out that we would take a dead heat. This filly had a great trip once again with Corey [Lanerie]. He fits this filly so well. She sat behind that really fast pace and was so impressive. I’m so proud of her and so thankful for the owners.”

He continued, “I was happy whether we’d won or lost. Maybe now she’ll get a little respect, because she’s never gotten it any time she’s run. She tries hard every time. The only times she’s ever gotten beat, it was my fault. Not hers.”

As for the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland, Pessin said, “I think you have to. I think that’s your only choice. That will be her next race. We gave her two months between her last race and this one and it’s another two months to the Breeders’ Cup. She does well with the spacing. It sets up good for her and she’s won before at seven-eighths at Keeneland in the GII Raven Run.”

Bell’s the One, perfect through her first four career starts, earned her first graded score in the GII Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland last fall. The 2020 GIII Winning Colors S. upsetter was up against it closing into a soft pace to finish a solid third in the GI Madison S. at Keeneland last time July 11.

Pedigree Notes:

Former Airdrie Stud stallion Majesticperfection is the sire of Bell’s the One and 19 other black-type winners, including seven graded winners. Bell’s the One is not the first of Majesticperfection’s runners to show an affinity for Churchill Downs as Lovely Maria captured the GI Kentucky Oaks in 2015. The Harlan’s Holiday sire stood in Kentucky through 2018 before moving to Haras Rapetti in Uruguay. Broodmare sire Street Cry (Ire) has 77 stakes winners out of his daughters, including 2019 champion older male Vino Rosso (Curlin). His winning daughter Street Mate produced Bell’s the One; Running Mate (Creative Cause), SP; and unraced 2-year-old Summer Mate (Summer Front), who brought $105,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale. A half-sister to GSW Tap Day (Pleasant Tap) and a granddaughter of MGSW Possible Mate (King’s Bishop), Street Mate has a yearling filly by Cairo Prince.

Saturday, Churchill Downs
DERBY CITY DISTAFF S. PRESENTED BY DERBY CITY GAMING-GI, $500,000, Churchill Downs, 9-5, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:21.07, ft.
1–BELL’S THE ONE, 120, f, 4, by Majesticperfection
1st Dam: Street Mate, by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Day Mate, by Dayjur
3rd Dam: Possible Mate, by King’s Bishop

   1ST GRADE I WIN. ($155,000 Ylg ’17 FTKJUL). O-Lothenbach
Stables, Inc. (Bob Lothenbach); B-Bret Jones (KY); T-Neil L.
Pessin; J-Corey J. Lanerie. $303,800. Lifetime Record: 14-7-2-1,
$790,040. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Serengeti Empress, 123, f, 4, by Alternation
                1st Dam: Havisham, by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Love Dancing (Arg), by Salt Lake
                3rd Dam: Le Midi (Arg), by Fitzcarraldo (Arg)
($25,000 Wlg ’16 KEENOV; $70,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP). O-Joel
Politi; B-Tri Eques Bloodstock, LLC (KY); T-Thomas M. Amoss.
$98,000.
3–Sally’s Curlin, 120, f, 4, by Curlin
                1st Dam: Cabo Queen, by More Than Ready
                2nd Dam: First Quarter, by Sky Classic
                3rd Dam: First Class Gal, by Geiger Counter
($160,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP). O-CJ Thoroughbreds, Left Turn
Racing LLC and Casner Racing, LP; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred
Holdings LLC (KY); T-Dale L. Romans. $49,000.
Margins: NO, 3, HF. Odds: 4.20, 1.80, 9.60.
Also Ran: Ce Ce, Wildwood’s Beauty, Bellafina, Shesomajestic. Scratched: Crazy Sexy Munny, Lady Kate, Mia Mischief. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

The post Bell’s The One Denies Serengeti Empress in Derby City Distaff appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post