Bell's the One changes complexion of TCA Stakes

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Neil Pessin thought prep season for Bell’s the One was complete, but the mare said otherwise.

“She came out of the last race extremely well,” Pessin said of her runner-up finish in the Open Mind on Sept. 18 at Churchill Downs. “I’ve never run her back in three weeks before, but she’s never come out of a race this good before.”

The upshot is the Grade 2, $250,000 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes got a new favorite with the 11th-hour addition of Bell’s the One to its short lineup. Just six fillies and mares are entered in the six-furlong TCA, the second of five straight graded stakes on a terrific Saturday card at Keeneland. Bell’s the One, with Corey Lanerie riding from post 6, now assumes the role of favorite over Frank’s Rockette (post 1, Junior Alvarado) and Estilo Talentoso (post 4, Jose Ortiz).

The 41st TCA Stakes, a Win and You’re In event toward the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar, is the seventh of 11 races, with post time set for 4:12 p.m. Eastern.

Bell’s the One has earned nearly $1.2 million for Pessin and the Lothenbach Stables, winning 9 of 20 career starts while developing into one of the established stars in the division over the last two seasons. The 5-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection kicked home strongly as usual when narrowly defeated in the Open Mind by Sconsin – who also will move on to the BC Filly and Mare Sprint – and Pessin thought that was that.

Not so fast.

“Instead of me just working her another four or five times, I thought this was the best move,” he said. “If she doesn’t bounce back from this the way she did out of the Churchill race, we’ll skip the Breeders’ Cup and run back at the Churchill fall meet. But the way she’s doing right now, I sure don’t see that happening. Anything but a win Saturday will be disappointing.”

Among her five rivals, there seems to be enough early speed to set things up. Frank’s Rockette, a winner in 8 of 16 starts for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, tends to do her best on or near the lead, and she’s likely to vie for early command with Inthemidstofbiz, who upset the 2020 TCA at 13-1. Estilo Talentoso, a steady 4-year-old competing in graded company for the seventh straight race, figures among the stalkers, along with the uncoupled Ben Colebrook pair of Club Car and Miss Mosaic.

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Meanwhile, Lanerie will bide his time from the trailer spot while settling Bell’s the One into a smooth rhythm.

“I wasn’t worried about post position because she’s going to drop back early anyway,” Pessin said.

The TCA, named for the private club situated just west of the racetrack on U.S. 60, has been run annually since 1981, when Gold Treasure won with Mark Sellers aboard.