Serengeti Empress Turns Around to Derby City Distaff

When Joel Politi and Tom Amoss weighed their options with a return to the Breeders' Cup World Championships in mind for Serengeti Empress, the $500,000 Derby City Distaff Stakes Presented by Derby City Gaming (G1) was a complex possibility Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs.

Off a powerhouse performance in the Aug. 8 Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course—Serengeti Empress won by a determined length over Bellafina after showing the way throughout in her usual style—the Distaff could be a bit of a quick turnaround for the 2019 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner.

But the thought of keeping Serengeti Empress training up to the Nov. 6-7 Breeders' Cup at Keeneland was not an ideal option either, requiring additional drills to maintain fitness she could keep by racing. 

"The situation with Serengeti Empress is one that's a little bit complex in the sense that with the way the Breeders' Cup race is set up at the beginning of November and the preps that were available to us between now and then, the choice was to come back and run fairly quickly here at Churchill Downs or just to wait until the Breeders' Cup," Amoss said. "It was a difficult decision because she ran so hard at Saratoga. But hourly she's showing no ill side effects from that race, she's trained very well here and had a very good breeze here, and ultimately Joel Politi and I decided that it's in her best interest to run her here."

Serengeti Empress will face nine rivals in her return to Churchill Downs. In her previous start at the Louisville track, she was fourth in the June 27 Fleur de Lis Stakes (G2) won by champion Midnight Bisou. She has won two of three starts at the seven-furlong distance, with her lone loss coming to champion Covfefe in last year's Longines Test Stakes (G1). Tyler Gaffalione has the mount from post 8.

Bellafina will take another crack at Serengeti Empress in pursuit of her first grade 1 since the 2019 Santa Anita Oaks (G1) and her first win since the May 17 Desert Stormer Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park. The Simon Callaghan trainee was gaining ground fast on the outside in a surge from fourth in the Ballerina but ran out of ground. 

Trainer Neil Pessin is hoping a speed duel weakens Serengeti Empress and sets up well for Bell's the One, his grade 2 winner who delivered a confidence-boosting score in the May 30 Winning Colors Stakes (G3) at Churchill.

"That set up for her well," Pessin said of the six-furlong Winning Colors. "They went really fast up front—Mia Mischief and Break Even went ding-donging, and it set up for us. She made her run, and if we can get that setup, we'll be right there at the end. Hopefully there will be something in there to go with 'Serengeti' and it sets up well for us."

Bell's the One must rebound from the July 11 Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland when she finished behind Guarana, who turned back a game Mia Mischief to win by half a length. Bell's the One was 3 1/4 lengths back in third.

"That race didn't set up good at all for her," Pessin said. "Mia Mischief didn't go, Amy's Challenge interfered with us at the start and got my filly more on the muscle, instead of being relaxed like she was. I thought she ran a big race just to be third with the way everything developed in the race for her."

Bell's the One will depart from post 4 under Corey Lanerie. 

The Derby City Distaff will go as the 12th race, with a 5:17 p.m. ET post time. Mia Mischief, Shesomajestic, Wildwood's Beauty, Crazy Sexy Munny, Sally's Curlin, Lady Kate, and Ce Ce complete the field.

Entries: Derby City Distaff S. presented by Derby City Gaming (G1)

Churchill Downs, Saturday, September 05, 2020, Race 12

• Grade I
• 7f
• Dirt
• $500,000
• 4 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 5:17 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Mia Mischief (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	118	Steven M. Asmussen	6/1
2	2Shesomajestic (KY)	Rafael Bejarano	118	John Alexander Ortiz	30/1
3	3Wildwood's Beauty (FL)	Joseph Rocco, Jr.	118	Scott Becker	20/1
4	4Bell's the One (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	120	Neil L. Pessin	10/1
5	5Crazy Sexy Munny (KY)	Crystal Conning	118	William E. Morey	50/1
6	6Sally's Curlin (KY)	Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr.	120	Dale L. Romans	12/1
7	7Lady Kate (KY)	Florent Geroux	118	Eddie Kenneally	20/1
8	8Serengeti Empress (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	123	Thomas M. Amoss	9/5
9	9Bellafina (KY)	Mike E. Smith	120	Simon Callaghan	3/1
10	10Ce Ce (KY)	John R. Velazquez	123	Michael W. McCarthy	3/1