Bell's the One Faces a Parade of Fillies in Mardi Gras
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Photo: Keeneland/Coady Photography
Bell's the One wins the Raven Run at Keeneland
The upset winner of the Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland in October, Lothenback Stables' Bell's the One is part of an overflow field that includes fellow graded winners Break Even and Hotshot Anna in the $75,000 Mardi Gras Stakes Feb. 25 at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
Drawn in post 12, Bell's the One returns to the Fair Grounds grass for the first time since winning the Allen Black Cat LaCombe Memorial Stakes in March. That two-turn race restricted to 3-year-old fillies was the only time she's competed on grass.
Most recently, the 4-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection was seen finishing an even fifth in the La Brea Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park in late December.
"She came out of the La Brea feeling fine. She just had some nicks and cuts on her," trainer Neil Pessin said. "We gave her a little extra time off from training than we usually do and brought her back kind of slow. She's been doing really well, and we're going to use this race as a prep for the (April 4) Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland.
"On Tuesday, I just hope she finishes well," Pessin continued. "She's a one-run filly, so we'll just sit back like she normally does, and if she comes running and wins, that's great—or if she comes running and finishes third, that's just as good. As long as she shows that turn of foot and makes a strong close, I'll be happy."
On Feb. 17, Bell's the One breezed a bullet four furlongs in :47 2/5, the fastest of 50 others.
"We never ask her in the mornings. She always does it on her own," Pessin said. "We give her a target to run after, and around the eighth pole she kicks into gear and always puts in a solid work."
Bell's the One will be ridden by Corey Lanerie and is listed at 8-1 on the morning line.
The Hugh Robertson-owned and -trained Hotshot Anna (9-2 odds), who had a five-race winning streak snapped when losing all chance at the start of the Jan. 25 Nelson J. Menard Memorial Stakes, drew post 8 with James Graham aboard. She is a two-time winner of the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2) on synthetic.
L T B and Hillerich Racing's Unbridled Class (8-1), who wired the Menard at longshot odds of 25-1, will reunite with jockey Colby Hernandez for trainer Bernie Flint from post 5.
The early favorite at 5-2 is Break Even, though whether she starts is up in the air. Trainer Brad Cox told Fair Grounds publicity Friday that he was uncertain if Break Even would, in fact, run, or be pointed for another spot. Owner Klein Racing and Cox also have Play On (6-1) in the lineup.
Break Even figures to be dangerous if she competes. The 4-year-old daughter of Country Day launched her career at Fair Grounds more than a year ago, rattling off consecutive sprint victories before testing stakes waters for the first time in the Purple Martini Stakes at Oaklawn Park in March. She romped gate-to-wire and was geared down in the final 70 yards, more than proving her class.
After starting her career 3-for-3, Break Even passed her first graded test by running away with the Eight Belles Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs in May by 5 1/2 lengths. Victories in a pair of listed sprint stakes—the Jersey Girl Stakes at Belmont Park and Coronation Cup Stakes at Saratoga Race Course—followed, and she suffered her first and only defeat in the Prioress Stakes (G2) in August at Saratoga, setting the pace before succumbing to Royal Charlotte in the final furlong.
Off nearly six months, Break Even has regular jockey Shaun Bridgmohan named to ride.
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Tuesday, February 25, 2020, Race 8Entries: Mardi Gras S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Lake Local (KY)
Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.
118
Michael Stidham
12/1
2
2Spectralight (IRE)
Sophie Doyle
118
Brian S. House
20/1
3
3Break Even (KY)
Shaun Bridgmohan
118
Brad H. Cox
5/2
4
4Eyeinthesky (FL)
Florent Geroux
118
Mark E. Casse
10/1
5
5Unbridled Class (IN)
Colby J. Hernandez
122
Bernard S. Flint
8/1
6
6Aiken to Be (KY)
Mitchell Murrill
118
Hugh H. Robertson
12/1
7
7A Thousand Reasons (KY)
Diego Saenz
118
Thomas M. Amoss
12/1
8
8Hotshot Anna (KY)
James Graham
122
Hugh H. Robertson
9/2
9
9Change of Control (KY)
Gabriel Saez
118
Michelle Lovell
12/1
10
10On Probation (KY)
Robby Albarado
118
Neil L. Pessin
30/1
11
11Play On (KY)
Fernando De La Cruz
122
Brad H. Cox
6/1
12
12Bell's the One (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
118
Neil L. Pessin
8/1
13
13Lunar Approach (KY)
Declan Carroll
118
Gregory D. Foley
20/1
