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Bell’s The One Heads Field Of Nine For Honorable Miss At Saratoga

Lothenbach Stables' Bell's the One, a multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire, leads a talented field of nine in Wednesday's $200,000 Grade 2 Honorable Miss, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Neil Pessin, Bell's the One, who boasts a record of 18-8-3-2, captured the 2020 Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs by a nose over Serengeti Empress. Her graded stakes ledger also includes scores in the 2019 Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., and last year's Grade 3 Winning Colors at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The 5-year-old Majesticperfection bay enters from a three-quarter length score in the Roxelana under returning rider Corey Lanerie on June 19 at Churchill.

“I'm really not scared of any sprint filly in the country right now, to be honest,” Pessin said. “It's just a question of if she runs her race. If she does, she's going to be tough to beat no matter who shows up. I respect them all, but I don't fear any of them. I'm very confident in my filly's abilities.”

Bell's the One rated closer to the pace last out in the 6 1/2-furlong Roxelana before popping outside rivals to secure the win.

“I'm trying to get her a little more that way, so we're not so pace dependent,” Pessin said. “In her last race, they didn't go fast early but we weren't far off of it. She was stuck in between horses – there were three across the track – and Corey let her suck back a little bit so she could get to the outside. When she turned for home, she just kicked on. She won by three-quarters, but it was a handy three-quarters.”

Bell's the One launched her current campaign with a narrow loss to Kimari in the Grade 1 Madison on April 3 at Keeneland ahead of a fourth-place finish in her title defense in the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff at Churchill in May.

“Kimari beat us at Keeneland and it was my mare's first out of the year,” Pessin said. “We also got stuck on the inside and didn't get to bounce outside. If we'd got outside, I think we'd have beat her that day.”

Bell's the One breezed a bullet half-mile in :47 flat on July 20 over the Arlington Park synthetic and will arrive in Saratoga on Sunday.

“It was an OK work. She went a little faster in the first part than what I wanted,” Pessin said. “She finished good and did it fairly handily. It didn't take a lot out of her. Fitness-wise, I don't have any issues. It's just a matter of if she handles the shipping and likes the track.”

Lanerie retains the mount from the outermost post 9.

“He knows her well and rode her excellent last time,” Pessin said.

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Godolphin homebred Lake Avenue enters in search of her first graded stakes win since the 2019 Grade 2 Demoiselle in the final start of her 2-year-old campaign.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, the 4-year-old Tapit chestnut was winless in four starts last year but has enjoyed a resurgence in 2021, posting wins in an optional claimer at Gulfstream in February ahead of a 6 3/4-length score in the Heavenly Prize Invitational in March at the Big A.

Last out, Lake Avenue made the lead at the stretch call of the Grade 3 Bed o' Roses but could not stave off Estilo Talentoso, who prevailed by a neck in the seven-furlong sprint on a sloppy Belmont main track on June 4.

Junior Alvarado will pilot Lake Avenue from post 4.

Dennis Narlinger's graded-stakes-placed Sadie Lady, a 5-year-old New York-bred daughter of Freud, boasts a record of 20-8-1-3 with purse earnings of $406,322.

The speedy mare won the open-company Correction in her seasonal debut at Aqueduct in March ahead of a strong second in the Grade 3 Vagrancy on May 8 at Belmont. Last out, Sadie Lady went gate-to-wire in the six-furlong Dancin Renee for state-breds.

Trainer Rob Atras said Sadie Lady, who breezed a half-mile in :49.26 Friday on the Saratoga main track, may consider waiting for the state-bred Union Avenue Handicap on August 19.

“We breezed her this morning and she went really well. It was just an easy half with a nice little gallop out,” Atras said. “We're probable to run but there's also a New York-bred stake in just over three weeks, so we'll talk it over with the owner.”

Atras said Sadie Lady is at her best on the engine.

“She runs her top race when she can get out front and dictate it a little bit,” Atras said.

Jose Ortiz retains the mount from post 3.

Almost Heaven Stables' Honey I'm Good enters from a neck win in the Regret, contested at six furlongs over a muddy Monmouth Park main track on July 3.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the 5-year-old Shackleford mare was a gate-to-wire winner of the six-furlong Harmony Lodge over muddy going at Belmont last June.

Honey I'm Good will emerge from post 7 under Ricardo Santana, Jr.

Truth Hurts, trained and co-owned by Chad Summers with J Stables, added blinkers and romped to a 5 3/4-length score last out under Luis Saez in the off-the-turf Perfect Sting at one mile over a sloppy and sealed Belmont main track on July 3.

The 4-year-old Ontario-bred daughter of Tonalist tried her luck at longer distances last season, including a third in the 1 1/16-mile Bison City at Woodbine.

Truth Hurts breezed a half-mile in :48.54 on July 20 on the Saratoga main track under Irad Ortiz, Jr. and Summers said he is cautiously optimistic after her last-out win.

“I think it was good for her. The first time with blinkers on she was more aggressive,” Summers said. “She came out of the gate good and sat a perfect trip. I'm proud of how she finished up and she galloped out strong. She came out of the race like nothing. I know we'll be a big price on the board, but she's doing so well. Irad came out and breezed her the other day. He liked her and it gives me a lot of confidence going into Wednesday.”

Truth Hurts, who graduated at first asking sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs in December 2019 at the Big A, will shorten up to six furlongs for the first time.

“I think seven [furlongs] is probably her game, but she can go six,” Summers said. “With Sadie Lady and a few of the others with speed in there, I'm hoping we can work out a good trip.”

Rounding out a competitive field are Ain't No Elmers [post 1, Adam Beschizza], Reagan's Edge [post 2, Jose Lezcano], Don't Call Me Mary [post 6, Saez], and Miss Mosaic [post 8, Manny Franco].

The Honorable Miss is slated as Race 9 on Wednesday's 10-race card. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern. Saratoga Live will present daily television coverage of the 40-day summer meet on FOX Sports. For the complete Saratoga Live broadcast schedule, and additional programming information, visit https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/tv-schedule.

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Atras Considering Next Starts For Maracuja, Chateau

Rob Atras is in third position in the trainer standings with a record of 69-15-11-11 heading into Sunday's card – Day 32 of the 48-day Belmont Park spring / summer meet. Belmont Park is located in Elmont, N.Y.

While four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown leads the way with 26 wins, Atras is just three wins back of second-place trainer Christophe Clement [18 wins from 81 starts] and three victories ahead of Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher [12 wins from 74 starts].

“Like everyone, we've had good runs and bad runs but it's great to be in the same category as those guys for number of wins at this particular meet,” said Atras. “We've tried to focus on quality over quantity, but both have risen. We didn't have this many horses last year and now we're up to 50 with more coming in.”

The 36-year-old conditioner saddled Dennis Narlinger's Sadie Lady to a front-running score in Saturday's $100,000 Dancin Renee Stakes, a six-furlong main track sprint for older New York-bred fillies and mares.

The 5-year-old daughter of Freud, bred in the Empire State by JMJ Racing Stables, demonstrated a nose for the wire last season winning 4-of-7 starts. The speedy mare won the six-furlong Correction by a head in March at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, N.Y. and followed with a strong second in the Grade 3 Vagrancy Stakes on May 8 at Belmont Park.

Atras said Sadie Lady, who matched a career-best 85 Beyer for her Dancin Renee score, came out of the race in good order.

“She's great this morning. I'm very happy with her performance,” said Atras. “She had strong early speed and that's her weapon. It unfolded for her very well yesterday.

“She's continued to stay in form,” Atras added. “Last year, she didn't come to Belmont 100 percent and had little nagging issues, nothing serious, so we just gave her some time off.”

Atras has yet to consider the next start for Sadie Lady, but stakes options on the NYRA calendar include the $200,000 Grade 2 Honorable Miss Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on July 24 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. and the Union Avenue Handicap, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for state-bred fillies and mares 3-years-old and up on August 19.

Beach Haven Thoroughbreds' Maracuja covered a half-mile in 49.75 seconds in company with Olliemyboy, an allowance-winning 4-year-old Ontario-bred colt, on Sunday on the Belmont main track. The breeze followed a sharp half-mile in :48.46 last Sunday on Big Sandy.

“She breezed a nice half and galloped out five-eighths. It was similar to last week but not quite as fast,” said Atras. “It was a strong, progressive half in company with Olliemyboy. They matched strides throughout.”

The Kentucky-bred daughter of Honor Code graduated at third asking in a maiden allowance sprint on February 21 at the Big A before closing to finish second to Search Results in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Gazelle in April at the same track.

Maracuja exited that effort to finish a rallying seventh after a poor start from an inside draw in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on April 30 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, K.Y.

“It wasn't the result we were looking for, but considering the poor break and getting shuffled back, she passed quite a few horses late and was really rolling. With a better break, she might have been fourth or fifth,” said Atras.

Atras said Maracuja will target the $250,000 Grade 2 Mother Goose Stakes, a 1 1/16-mile test for sophomore fillies, on June 26 at Belmont. It would mark the first start for the improving filly over Big Sandy.

“That's what we're trying to pointing towards,” said Atras. “Her last few works have been over the main track. We're trying to get her used to it and I think she'll like the big, sweeping turns.

“If she can have a little better start, she can probably sit a little closer if she needs to,” Atras added. “I think the one turn will be good for her, too. She's fine around two turns but in the Oaks there's not a lot of run to get to the first turn and getting out of the gate good there and getting position is key.”

Atras will have to find a new jockey for Maracuja with her regular rider, Kendrick Carmouche, out for up to 10 weeks with a broken ankle.

“We've been together for a lot of victories and it definitely hurt when he went down,” said Atras. “Kendrick was having a good year and hit a lot of milestones recently winning his first Grade 1 [aboard True Timber in the Cigar Mile]. Hopefully, he'll be back soon.”

Michael Dubb's Chateau breezed early Sunday with an eye towards a start at the Saratoga summer meet.

“The stakes there tend to get pretty salty. I'm not sure which way we're going to go just yet,” said Atras. “Six is a real good distance for him, but we'll see. I'll talk to Mike this week and make a plan for him.”

The 6-year-old Flat Out gelding, who boasts a record of 35-7-10-8 with purse earnings of $525,769, has made his last three starts in graded company, led by a score in the six-furlong Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap in March at Aqueduct.

The dark bay faded to fourth in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Carter Handicap in April at Aqueduct, but stayed on for second last out after setting the pace in the six-furlong Grade 3 Runhappy Stakes won by Firenze Fire on May 8 at Belmont.

The Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, is slated for July 31 at the Spa.

Sanford J. Goldfarb, Irwin Goldfarb, and the Estate of Ira Davis' American Power finished an even third last out in the Grade 2 True North Stakes that saw graded stakes-winning millionaires Firenze Fire and Flagstaff run one-two on June 4 at Belmont.

“Considering who he ran against, I think it was a good effort by him,” said Atras. “Those two got out front and the track was kind of playing that way and they did what they needed to do.”

The 6-year-old son of Power Broker made the grade in the Grade 3 Toboggan Stakes in January at the Big A and followed with a score in the Caixa Eletronica Stakes at the same distance and track in March.

Atras said American Power has come out of the True North in good order, but has no specific target.

“I gave him a little two-minute lick this morning and he did good,” said Atras. “He's come out of the race well. He's another horse, like Chateau, that's tough to spot. Six and a half furlongs is not quite his best distance. He doesn't have that sprint speed to be up there, so seven-to-a-mile is what we'll look for going forward.”

Musical Heart, owned by Dubb and Michael J. Caruso, faltered to ninth last out in the 12-furlong Grade 2 Brooklyn Invitational Stakes presented by Northwell Health on Belmont Stakes Day.

The 6-year-old Maclean's Music gelding, claimed for $62,500 in November, captured the 11-furlong Flat Out on April 30 at Belmont.

“It was maybe a little too soon back off the race before and maybe a bit too far,” said Atras of the Brooklyn effort. “I don't think he wants to go that far, but you just don't know until you try it. We're thinking about Saratoga with him, too. We don't have a race in mind but probably at a mile and an eighth.”

Robert Bone's Nice Ace worked five-eighths in 1:01.90 on the main track Sunday. The sophomore son of Noble Mission, bred in Pennsylvania by Blackstone Farm, graduated at second asking for former conditioner Tim Girten over the Presque Isle Downs synthetic in September ahead of a runner-up effort in the Fitz Dixon Memorial Juvenile Stakes in October at the same track.

Nice Ace, who finished off the board in his last two starts, is nominated to make his 3-year-old debut in the $125,000 Woodstock Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for sophomores on the Woodbine Tapeta slated for June 20.

“He worked well this morning. I'm not sure which direction we'll go with him just yet,” said Atras. “We have him nominated to the Woodstock and we have tentative plans to go up there, but we're not 100 percent committed yet. I'll have to speak to the owner and see what we want to do with him.”

Atras said Nice Ace will likely get a chance to try turf this season.

“He is quite fast. They tried a few different things with him last year and he was most effective on the synthetic,” said Atras. “We wanted to try the turf here; there was an allowance race that didn't fill. He also might stretch out a little bit. He's a tall horse with a nice stride on him but we wanted to start him out sprinting.”

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Sadie Lady Sails To Easy Win In Dancin Renee Stakes

Saturday's featured race at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. was one for the Ladies, with Sadie Lady at 7-5 surging to the front and outkicking 6-5 favorite Fierce Lady in a gate-to-wire, 1 1/2-length victory in the $100,000 Dancin Renee Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares 4-years-old and up contesting at six furlongs.

The eighth edition of the Dancin Renee saw Dennis Narlinger's Sadie Lady, ridden by Jose Ortiz, break sharp and go to the front, leading the five-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 22.79 seconds and the half-mile in 45.61 on the fast main track.

Sadie Lady was challenged in the stretch by Fierce Lady, but had enough in reserve to win for the third time in four starts, completing the sprint in 1:11.05 for trainer Rob Atras.

Ortiz, who notched his third win on the card, rode Sadie Lady for the first time and earned his third victory in the Dancin Renee [Clear Pasaj in 2013 and La Verdad in 2015].

“When we passed the half-mile pole, she switched to her left lead and she kind of went on her own,” Ortiz said. “I knew I had enough room to wait, but she went on her own. It was hard to take that momentum away from her. I just let her do her thing and use her speed and she used it well. I was happy with how she carried on. She ran a very good race. Her speed is her weapon.”

The Freud mare won for the second time in three starts to commence her 5-year-old campaign. She bested Call On Mischief by a head in the Correction going the Dancin Renee distance in her seasonal bow in March at Aqueduct and followed with a runner-up effort last out in the Grade 3 Vagrancy Handicap at 6 1/2 furlongs last month at Belmont.

Sadie Lady, running back in a restricted stakes, posted her first victory at Belmont since winning her career debut in September 2018.

“I know she's very fast and she's actually cleared quite easily in her other races,” Atras said. “I was a little concerned that Ruvies in Time might challenge us out of the gate, but she [Sadie Lady] broke so sharp and Jose just let her roll out of there and everything went to plan.”

Sadie Lady, bred by JMJ Racing Stables, improved her career earnings to $406,232. She returned $4.90 on a $2 win wager.

“She's a really cool filly and likes to win,” Atras said. “She's not easy in the morning and the exercise rider does a really good job with her.”

Fierce Lady, owned by Nice Guys Stables and Steve Hornstock, earned a placing in her first stakes appearance since January 2020, besting Ruvies in Time by a half-length for second. The Brittany Russell trainee, bred by Sugar Maple Farm, returned from a nearly six-month layoff to win against optional claimers last out in May at Belmont and recorded her best stakes performance since running second in the 2019 Joseph A. Gimma Stakes.

“I thought there would be more pace. The plan was to come flying at the end, but the winner went to the lead and had it easy,” said Fierce Lady jockey Luis Saez.

Espresso Shot and Eloquent Speaker completed the order of finish. Good Credence scratched.

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Sadie Lady’s ‘Extra Special’ Stakes Triumph Caps Four-Win Day For Atras

Trainer Rob Atras didn't blast Ice Cube's “It Was a Good Day” from his office speakers, but it would have been warranted after he saddled four winners at Aqueduct in Ozone Park, N.Y., on Saturday, highlighted by Sadie Lady outlasting Call On Mischief by a head to win the $100,000 Correction in her seasonal debut.

Atras had to wait an additional month for Sadie Lady to make her 5-year-old bow after a stakes race did not fill in February at the Big A. But the New York-bred Freud mare ensured the wait was worth it for her connections, winning for the fifth time in eight starts since turning 4 in 2020.

Sadie Lady earned a career-best 84 Beyer for her first career stakes score, going gate-to-wire at 5-1 under jockey Manny Franco, who earned his third win of the day and kept his charge pressed forward as Call On Mischief linked up with her in the final furlong through a head-bob finish.

“She came out of the race really good,” Atras said. “We were sitting on her for a little while after she won her last race in December. Unfortunately, the New York-bred stakes [Broadway] didn't fill, so we pointed her towards this race and everything worked out. She trained good in the morning and is an aggressive horse and she's battled like that before in races. I was so happy to see her compete like that in the lane.”

A future spot for Sadie Lady, owned by Dennis Narlinger and bred by JMJ Racing Stables, will be determined in the next week, Atras said.

“We're not quite sure just yet. We never looked past this race,” he said. “We wanted to see how she performed and go from there. In the next few days, we'll map out a plan.”

Atras also teamed with jockey Dylan Davis to win with both Saint Selby [$8.90] in the opening race and Heavy Roller [$3.60] in Race 4. Storm Advisory, guided by meet-leading rider Kendrick Carmouche, gave Atras his third win of the day in Race 5 before Sadie Lady's victory in the feature.

“I'm just really grateful,” Atras said. “To do something like that, especially in New York, is special. We've had multi-winner days but nothing ever like that. It's hard to win one race in a day, so to win four, it's a great feeling. To cap it off with a stakes win was extra special.”

Atras, who saddled his first winner in 2009, set a personal-best in 2020 when he won 43 races, posting a 43-39-38 record with 210 starters and earnings of more than $2 million. He's already built on that success, earning his first two career graded stakes wins in 2021 with Chateau and American Power.

“I've always wanted to focus on quality, not just quantity,” Atras said. “Our stable has grown quite a bit, but I think we've upgraded our quality, too, and that's been one of my goals. That's not to say I don't like the $10,000 or $20,000 claimers, but every time I lead a horse over, I like to be a contender. That's the focal point of the operation.”

Atras had updates on those stakes winners, as American Power, the last out-winner of the seven-furlong Grade 3 Toboggan on January 30 at the Big A, breezed four furlongs in 50.44 seconds on Sunday over the Belmont training track.

American Power, owned by Sanford and Irwin Goldfarb and the Estate of Ira Davis, could target either the Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap that will be featured on the Grade 2 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino card on April 3. Atras also said the starter stakes on Saturday, March 27, at Aqueduct could be a possibility for a less ambitious spot.

After defeating claiming company over a sloppy track at Belmont going one mile in October, American Power registered a 3 ¼-length win in an optional claimer in December at Aqueduct to cap his 5-year-old year. Atras moved him up to graded stakes company for his 6-year-old debut, and he responded by outkicking Pete's Play Call by a half length to win the Toboggan last out over the same one-turn distance as the Carter.

“He worked really good and his last couple of works have been pretty sharp,” Atras said. “It seems like his last few races have been better than the next. I always liked him as soon as I got him. He's always trained well. His confidence is high and he's breaking sharp and rating the race right away. All his races, he's fought all-out. He's just stepped up to the task every time.”

Chateau is another stakes-winning sprinter who found success at Aqueduct, wiring the field in a 3 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap on March 6 that netted the 6-year-old his first triple-digit speed figure, garnering a clean 100 one start after earning a 96 for his front-running win against optional claimers on January 18 over the same track.

Overall, Chateau has won five of his seven career starts at Aqueduct, logging a 5-2-2 mark in nine career starts in Ozone Park. His last 18 starts have been at six furlongs or less, though Atras said his success at Aqueduct could tempt him to stretch him out in the Carter. It would be Chateau's longest race since running fifth in a one-mile maiden claimer in September 2018.

“He came out of the race really good, and I was very pleased, especially after a top effort like that,” Atras said. “We're kicking around the idea of starting in the Carter. His record is really good at Aqueduct, so he likes that track and we're considering it, even though the distance might not be to his liking. But we're considering it.”

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