Just One Time surges past Bell's the One in Madison
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The last would be first Saturday at Keeneland when Just One Time rallied off a wicked pace to post her first Grade 1 victory in the $439,850 Madison Stakes.
Patiently handled by Flavien Prat, Just One Time came flying down the stretch when reeling in another come-from-behinder, Bell’s the One, in running her career record to 6 for 7. The winner returned $6.60 as a slight favorite in a field of nine fillies and mares after finishing the seven-furlong distance in 1:22.79 over muddy going and earned a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.
“I was hoping to get a good break and get myself into the race,” Prat said. “Unfortunately, she broke a bit flat-footed, so we went to Plan B, and she ran really well in the stretch.”
As Lady Rocket led several pursuers through splits of 22.11 and 44.50, she and those others began to get leg-weary once they wheeled for home. Meanwhile, Bell’s the One, who had trailed early under Corey Lanerie, had gotten first run on Just One Time leaving the turn and, with a furlong to go, it became obvious that Bell’s the One would be difficult to run down.
:: For the first time ever, our premium past performances are free! Get free Formulator now!
But that’s just what Just One Time did. Hitting peak stride in deep stretch, she surged past Bell’s the One to prevail by three-quarters of a length. A 4-year-old from the first crop of Not This Time, the Pennsylvania-bred filly was making her second start since coming into the care of Brad Cox, with her first effort for Cox resulting in a late-running score in the Grade 2 Inside Information, her graded-stakes debut on the Jan. 29 Pegasus World Cup card at Gulfstream Park.
Just One Time is owned by Warriors Reward LLC and Commonwealth New Era Racing. She earned $235,600 when ineligible for bonuses restricted to Kentucky-breds. Her first five starts came when racing exclusively in Pennsylvania for trainer Mike Salvaggio.
“I wasn’t all that happy with her when she first came to me, but the owners indulged me with their patience,” Cox said. “She really came around in her training and now look what’s happened. We’re real with her.”
Bell’s the One, making her first start in nearly five months, was another three lengths before Kimari, the 2021 Madison winner. Neil Pessin, trainer of 6-year-old Bell’s the One, said: “You can’t be too upset with that effort and her first start off the layoff. She ran hard.”
Lady Rocket was another 1 1/2 lengths back in fourth, followed by Four Graces, Cilla, Club Car, Kalypso, and Center Aisle.
The Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on the May 7 Kentucky Derby program is a logical wheel-back for the top two finishers, and maybe even a couple of the others.
The $2 exacta (4-5) paid $35.20, the $1 trifecta (4-5-6) returned $56.30, and the 10-cent superfecta (4-5-6-3) was worth $13.62.