Bell's the One wears down rivals in Lady Tak

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Bell's the One gained the upper hand again in her long-running feud with Sconsin when defeating that rival, and three others, in the $200,000 Lady Tak S. at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

Under Corey Lanerie, Bell's the One turned in a patented rally after saving ground through the first half-mile of the six-furlong journey. Switched off the inside into the six or seven path turning for home, Bell's the One charged down the outside and drew clear in the final sixteenth to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Joyful Cadence, who had set a pace of :22.42 and :45.42.

"I figured, when they broke out of the gate, we were a winner because she didn't get 20 lengths back even though they went slow," trainer Neil Pessin said. "She was within seven or eight lengths behind a slow pace, but she can close into that no problem."

Lovemesomeme finished a half-length behind Joyful Cadence in third, while Sconsin ran a relatively dull fourth as the 4-5 favorite. Music City Star trailed the field of five fillies and mares.

Owned by Lothenbach Stables, Bell's the One paid $4.82 after completing the course in 1:09.22 over a fast track.

The Lady Tak was the 12th win 26 starts for the six-year-old Bell's the One. It was also the fourth time she's finished ahead of Sconsin in seven meetings.

A Kentucky-bred daughter of Majesticperfection, Bell's the One has won 10 stakes overall. She earned her signature win in the 2020 Derby City Distaff (G1), and has also scored in the Raven Run (G2), Honorable Miss H. (G2), Thoroughbred Club of America (G2), and Winning Colors (G3).

Fort Larned S.

Trainer Joe Sharp saddled the one-two finishers in the $200,000 Fort Larned S. for older horses when Twilight Blue and Intrepid Heart put on a show battling throughout the long stretch. At the wire, Twilight Blue edged his stablemate by a head as the favorite in a field of six.

Owned by Carl Moore and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Twilight Blue covered 1 3/16 miles in 1:57.09 and return $4.76. King Fury finished third and was followed by Mr. Wireless, Treasure Trove, and Artemus Eagle.

This was the first stakes win for Twilight Blue, a four-year-old son of Air Force Blue. Twilight Blue finished third in the 2020 Sugar Bowl S. at Fair Grounds as a two-year-old, but trailed a field of eight in the Rebel (G2) the following spring.

Off nearly a year following the Rebel, Twilight Blue had finished first or second in four starts over the winter and spring, all in allowance company. He's now won five of 12 starts.