Lothenbach Stables' Bell's the One returned to the Churchill Downs winner's circle Aug. 13 for the first time in nine months after she rallied from last in the stretch and surged past pacesetters Joyful Cadence and Lovemesomeme inside the final sixteenth to win the $200,000 Lady Tak Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths.
Ridden by Corey Lanerie for trainer Neil Pessin, Bell's the One ran six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.22.
Joyful Cadence, who set the pace with splits of :22.42 and :45.42, held second over Lovemesomeme in third. Favored Sconsin lacked her customary strong finish and was an even-paced fourth.
Bell's the One returned $4.82 on a $2 win ticket.
"No matter what she always comes with a late kick and she did that today," Lanerie said. "We sat a perfect trip behind the pacesetters, and she really responded well when I asked her to go. She's a really special mare, and I'm very thankful to be able to ride her."
The win was worth $124,000 and improved Bell's the One's career earnings to $1,795,675 with a record of 12-5-3 in 26 starts. She's earned $952,325 from five wins and three seconds and one third in 11 career starts at Churchill Downs.
"She's taken us on a lot of journeys, and I'm so thankful most of them have been successful here at Churchill," Pessin said. "She's a special mare and backs that up every time on the track. They didn't go too fast on the lead, but it was a contentious pace. She was able to rally past them and show the strong kick in the stretch."
Bell's the One is a 6-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection out of the Street Cry mare Street Mate and was bred in Kentucky by Bret Jones.
Twilight Blue Narrowly Scores in Fort Larned
After matching strides through the stretch, 6-5 favorite Twilight Blue emerged as a head winner over tracking stablemate Intrepid Heart in Saturday's $200,000 Fort Larned Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at Churchill Downs.
Trained by Joe Sharp and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Twilight Blue covered the 1 3/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:57.09.
After longshot Artemus Eagle led the field of five older horses through a first quarter mile in :24.11, Twilight Blue asserted himself to the front down the backstretch and a half-mile in :49.33 with Intrepid Heart in close pursuit.
Passing the six-furlong marker in 1:13.77, Twilight Blue and Intrepid Heart launched a prolonged drive midway around the far turn. The two battled shoulder to shoulder with a photo finish deciding the victor.
"He was really gutsy today," Hernandez said. "He took me to the front up the backside and really battled late. It was really cool to win a race named after Fort Larned in the first edition."
Twilight Blue returned $4.76 on a $2 win ticket. The win was worth $122,760 and increased the colt's earnings to $444,594 with a record of 5-3-1 in 12 starts. Three of his wins have come at Churchill Downs.
"Both of these horses try so hard all the time and give it their all," Sharp said of his 1-2 finishers.
King Fury ran third.
Twilight Blue is a Kentucky-bred son of Air Force Blue out of the Rahy mare Lily the Pink and was bred by Knowles Bloodstock.