Bell's the One, Miles Ahead Shine at Churchill

Lothenbach Stables' Bell's the One  collared pacesetter Joyful Cadence  and longtime rival Sconsin  in deep stretch Sept. 17 to win the $295,000 Open Mind Stakes by a length at Churchill Downs.

The victory marked the 11th career stakes score for Bell's the One, her sixth overall at Churchill Downs, and her second in a row. She entered for trainer Neil Pessin off an Aug. 13 score in the Lady Tak Stakes at the Louisville track.

Ridden by Corey Lanerie, Bell's the One ran six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.43.

As expected, Joyful Cadence dictated the pace in the compact field of three fillies and mares as she dashed down the backstretch through a first quarter mile in :22.17 with Sconsin two lengths back and Bell's the One another three behind.

Sconsin began to engage the leader on the turn for home and drew even with Joyful Cadence at the top of the stretch as the two clocked a half-mile in :45.16.

Bell's the One spotted the leaders multiple lengths but began to hit her best stride when she tipped outside in upper stretch. She responded readily at the three-sixteenths pole when she was shaken up by Lanerie, and ranged up to Joyful Cadence and Sconsin in the final furlong with a good kick and relentlessly drove past the duo in the final sixteenth of mile.

"She always gives it her all and I was very confident with her today," Lanerie said. "It was a short field but we were still able to play into her tactics of running from off the pace. I gave her a few reminders late to keep going but she knew where the wire was and got the job done."

Bell's the One improved her record to 13-5-3 from 27 starts, with earnings of $2,000,675.

She is now 6-for-12 at Churchill Downs and 9-of-10 at the six-furlong distance.

"Originally I wasn't planning on running in this spot but (Bell's the One) told me she needed to run," Pessin said. "So, we ran. She's run well wherever she goes but always likes to run here at Churchill. If she tells me she wants to run in three weeks, we'll go to the (Oct. 8) Thoroughbred Club of America (G2) at Keeneland and if she's ready to run after that, we'll look at the Breeders' Cup."

Bell's the One returned $3.08 to win. There was no place or show betting following the scratches of Cheetara  and Club Car . Joyful Cadence finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Sconsin for the runner-up honors.

Bell's the One is a 6-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection  out of the Street Cry  mare Street Mate . She was bred in Kentucky by Bret Jones. All five of Street Mate's starters have been winners, although Bell's the One is her only graded winner. The mare's yearling Collected   filly just sold for $200,000 to Lothenbach Stables at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, and she dropped a Not This Time   colt March 8. She was bred to Charlatan for 2023.

Miles Ahead Finishes Inches in Front

Jay Em Ess Stable's Miles Ahead  finished inches in front of pacesetter Isolate  and closer Necker Island  to prevail in a three-horse photo for the win in Saturday's $265,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes.

Miles Ahead ran six furlongs in 1:09.02 under jockey Martin Garcia, who piloted the winner for trainer Paul McGee and owner Samantha Siegel.

Isolate was a tough-luck runner-up after he made all of the running early on. He led the field of eight older horses through fast fractions of :21.34 and :44.15 as Miles Ahead tracked from fourth. Urged throughout, he sustained his grinding charge and after attempting a bid along the inside, altered his course to the outside of Isolate as they approached the sixteenth pole. Surging in the final yards, he prevailed in a tight three-way head bob.

"The more I asked of him late the more he found," Garcia said. "The race set up really well for us and in deep stretch (Isolate) kind of came in front of us but I was able to draw alongside and he dug in to hold him off."

Miles Ahead paid $7.46 on a $2 win ticket and improved his record to 12-4-1 from 25 starts, with earnings of $644,503. It was his third career stakes win and first outside of Gulfstream Park. A year ago, he won the Smile Sprint Stakes (G3), and in February he defeated Drain the Clock  by a neck to win the $150,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes. Previously, Miles Ahead finished a hard-luck second in the July 2 Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes at Churchill.

"We gave him a break after the Kelly's Landing and aimed for this spot all summer," McGee said. "He was training well coming into this race and fired a big effort off the break."

Bred in Kentucky by Nicholas M. Lotz & Betsy Kelley out of the Awesome Again mare Jennie R., Miles Ahead was a $175,000 purchase by Ellman, Melin, Plesa from Top Line Sales' consignment to the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. He also went through the ring at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, where he sold to Billy Williams and was consigned by James Keogh. He was purchased privately by Jay Em Ess after his Gulfstream Park Sprint score, and won for the first time in four starts for his new owner.

Black-Type winner Jennie R. has produced four winners from four starters. These include the grade 2-placed black-type winner La Grange  and stakes-placed Magic D'Oro. Her last reported foal was born in 2019. 

Video: Louisville Thoroughbred Society S. (BT)

Video: Open Mind S. (BT)