Pessin reported things were fine this morning with Bell's the One, who added Saturday's score to her victory in the Grade 2 Lexus Raven Run in 2019. In six sprints at Keeneland in her career, Bell's the One has three wins, one second, and two thirds.

The TCA victory secured a fees-paid berth into the $1 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., on Nov. 6. Bell's the One finished third behind champion Gamine in last year's Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland.

Plans are indefinite for Michael and Katherine Ball's Club Car, who came up a neck short of victory.

“Not sure what is next, but it's not going to be the Breeders' Cup,” trainer Ben Colebrook said. “She has been running a lot, 12 times in the past 12 months.”

The post Bell’s The One Returns To Churchill After TCA Win At Keeneland appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Patiently ridden by Corey Lanerie, the 5-year-old mare by Majesticperfection rallied from last  with a four-wide move into the stretch, hit the front inside the eighth pole, then held off a fast closing  Club Car. Estilo Talentoso finished a head behind the runner-up, followed 1 1/2 lengths farther back by Inthemidstofbiz, Frank's Rockette and Miss Mosaic.

The Thoroughbred Club of America is a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series Win and You're In race for the Filly & Mare Sprint division, giving the winner a fees-paid berth and a travel allowance.

Bell's the One ran the six furlongs in 1:08.63 on a fast main track after getting a good set-up with quick fractions of :21.57, :44.80 and :56.60 from pacesetter Inthemidstofbiz. She paid $3 to win as the heavy favorite.

“When I ride her, I just let her gather her feet underneath her and be comfortable wherever she needs to be,” said Lanerie. “Today I actually tried to keep her a little closer because I was afraid if they got away from me I wouldn't be able to make up the ground, going six furlongs, and she gives everything she's got every time. I could tell from about the five-sixteenths pole, I'm in contention where, if she gives me her kick, I'm going to catch them. She has the fastest turn of foot (of any horse) I've ever been on.”

Bell's the One gave veteran horseman Pessin his first career Grade 1 win last year when she scored in the Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5. She finished a good third behind Gamine – beaten 6 1/4 lengths – in the Filly & Mare Sprint, but Pessin wouldn't immediately commit to this year's Breeders' Cup, to be held at Del Mar in California Nov. 5-6.

“It will still depend on how she comes out of it,” said Pessin. “The plane reservations are still tough, the way they've got it—I know it's the best they can do—but we'll try to make a go of it if she comes out of it well.”

Pessin was referring to the absence of the Tex Sutton Equine Air Transportation aircraft that horsemen have depended on for a number of years. The company's lease expired on the plane expired and it has not been able to acquire a replacement to date. Breeders' Cup officials have arranged for charter flights using Fed Ex.

Bred in Kentucky by Bret Jones, Bell's the One was produced from the Street Cry mare, Street Mate. She was a $150,000 purchase by Bob Lothenbach at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Yearling Sale, where she was consigned by Brereton C. Jones.

Bell's the One has now won 10 of 21 starts and has been a graded stakes winner at ages 3, 4 and 5, with victories in the G2 Raven Run Stakes in 2019, the G3 Winning Colors and G1 Derby City Distaff in 2020, and the G2 Honorable Miss Handicap and Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes in 2021.

“She's one of the best mares, if not the best horse, I've ever had,” said Pessin. “The only thing I regret with her is she never gets the respect she deserves. Even in this race, people weren't even picking her on top, which made absolutely zero sense to me. The Breeders' Cup, they got Ce Ce picked in front of her on the program and I've beat her every time I've run against her. So I don't what this mare has to do to earn respect, but she's definitely got mine.”

The post Thoroughbred Club Win Gives Bell’s The One Chance At Breeders’ Cup Return Engagement appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The 4-year-old Fed Biz filly was part of a large, tight group of runners to vie for the lead out of the gate, with outside-breaking runner Lady's Island assuming command over Palace Avenger, with Inthemidstofbiz tracking in third. Lady's Island set the opening quarter in :22.12 seconds, while keeping her two closest trackers at bay. However, jockey Martin Garcia started to ask Inthemidstofbiz for some run on the outside, and the filly caught the leader in the turn and ran past her.

A spent Lady's Island gave way in the middle of an emerging battle between Inthemidstofbiz and Palace Avenger, following a half in :45.17 seconds. The challenger was game for about a sixteenth of a mile, but ultimately relented to Inthemidstofbiz with plenty of stretch to go, and the winner drew off to prevail by three lengths.

A late move from post time favorite Sneaking Out earned her a runner-up finish, a half-length ahead Palace Avenger.

Inthemidstofbiz won the six-furlong race in 1:09.84 over a fast main track, and she paid $28.20 to win. She was trained by Cipriano Contreras, who earned his second career graded stakes victory in the Thoroughbred Club of America. His first came in the G3 Hanshin Cup Stakes in 2018 with Matrooh. The winning owners were Contreras Stable and Andrew Knapczyk.

Inthemidstofbiz was bred in Kentucky by J D Stuart and Mueller Farms, Inc., out of the stakes-winning Closing Argument mare Midst.

To view the race's chart, click here.

Quotes from the $200,000 Thoroughbred Club of America, courtesy of the Keeneland notes team

Cipriano Contreras (winning trainer of Inthemidstofbiz)

“We got lucky today. She's getting better and better. We claimed this filly (for $20,000 at Keeneland during the 2019 Fall Meet) and ran her for (a $16,000 claiming price) at Oaklawn. She started running better, and we took a shot. It worked out.”

Martin Garcia (winning rider)

“She's a great filly. I had a really good position. When I asked her to go, she made it really easy.”

Umberto Rispoli (rider of runner-up and beaten favorite Sneaking Out.

“My trip was OK. She is the kind of filly who can have the lead if there is no one faster, but that was not the case today. I believe if she had drawn an outside (post position), the race definitely would have changed. She finished off pretty strong and I am pretty sure if I had been on the outside, the race (outcome) would be different. Post 1 is always a gamble. Outside she could dominate the other horses. Inside she was not happy.”

The post Inthemidstofbiz Upsets Thoroughbred Club Of America Stakes, Clinches Breeders’ Cup Filly And Mare Sprint Berth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

“This filly has won two graded stakes, and we felt like she deserved a shot against the best,” Hollendorfer said from Los Alamitos Wednesday morning. “It is an important race before the Breeders' Cup.”

The California-bred daughter of Indian Evening won the Great Lady M (G2) at Los Alamitos on July 4 and then the Rancho Bernardo (G3) at Del Mar on Aug. 21. Both races were at 6½ furlongs.

Sneaking Out has compiled a record of 12-6-4-0, and Hollendorfer feels she is at the top of her game.

“I think so,” Hollendorfer said of Sneaking Out, whose most recent work at Los Alamitos was six furlongs out of the gate in 1:11.60. “Her rider (Umberto Rispoli) is very keen on her and loved her race at Del Mar.”

Rispoli, who was aboard Sneaking Out in a race for the first time at Del Mar, has the mount Saturday.

Sneaking Out arrived at Keeneland Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning took a trip through the Paddock and then jogged.

The TCA is a “Win and You're In” race for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) to be run here Nov. 7.

“Right now, we are not looking past Saturday,” Hollendorfer said, regarding whether Sneaking Out would stay here with a victory or go back to California. “I'll discuss it with Kevin and make a decision.”

The field for the Thoroughbred Club of America, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Sneaking Out (Rispoli, 122 pounds), Dos Vinos (Mitchell Murrill, 120), On Probation (Adam Beschizza, 120), Divine Queen (Calvin Borel, 120), Palace Avenger (Luis Saez, 118), Inthemidstofbiz (Martin Garcia, 120) and Lady's Island (Tyler Gaffalione, 120).

The post Sneaking Out Auditions For Breeders’ Cup In Saturday’s Thoroughbred Club Of America appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

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