Pessin brings out the big horse for Open Mind

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A pair of six-furlong stakes for older horses will precede the Saturday night features at Churchill Downs, with both of them boasting purses to turn heads.

The $300,000 Open Mind, which drew two of the top filly-mare sprinters on the continent in Bell’s the One and Sconsin, will be run early on the 11-race card as race 3 (post, 6:56 p.m. Eastern) and thus without need of the Churchill lights. Some two hours later, with the lights on full blast, Bango will look to leverage his home-court advantage once more as a deserving favorite in the $275,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society (race 7, 9:05).

Open Mind

Of all the trainers forced to leave Churchill for nine weeks this summer because of the turf-course renovation, Neil Pessin was the only one to take his stable to Arlington Park in suburban Chicago. How convenient – Pessin spent most evenings eating at his favorite haunts in a city known for its fabulous restaurants.

“Bob Chinn’s, DeMarco’s, and Chef Ping were the main stops,” said Pessin. With Arlington closing next weekend, Pessin, 61, may not ever spend much time in Chicago again. “It was my farewell tour. They all knew it – they all even bought me dinner one night.”

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Whether or not Bell’s the One, the most accomplished horse Pessin has ever trained, is on a farewell tour has yet to be decided. What is known is that this 12th running of the Open Mind will be her final prep for the Nov. 6 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar.

“That’s a question for after the Breeders’ Cup,” said Pessin. “Do you sell, breed, or race?”

Bell’s the One, a 5-year-old mare owned by Lothenbach Stables, will have Corey Lanerie aboard from the outside post when favored against just four others, with Sconsin (post 2, Tyler Gaffalione) as her main rival. Bell’s the One upped her career earnings to $1,126,825 with a last-to-first score at Saratoga in the July 28 Honorable Miss, a Grade 2 race that followed a hard-earned triumph over Sconsin in the June 19 Roxelana at Churchill.

“I turned her out for 2 1/2 weeks after the Saratoga race,” said Pessin, “and she’s had three breezes since then. She’s on top of her game right now.”

Louisville Thoroughbred Society

He’s only 4, and yet Bango has already won six times on the Churchill main track. His seventh might well come when he squares off against five other male rivals in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society, a race newly created through the void of turf stakes being skipped at the September and fall meets.

Trainer Greg Foley has done everything possible to insure that Bango (post 5, Tyler Gaffalione) maxes out on opportunities at his home track, especially given the way the dark bay colt performed in winning the Aristides and Kelly’s Landing at the spring meet.

“He just loves this racetrack,” said Foley.

Mighty Mischief (post 6, Ricardo Santana Jr.), the only 3-year-old in the field, could loom the main threat to Bango after finishing no worse than second in all six prior starts. He and Bango figure to assume closest pursuit of the likely pacesetter, Just Might, before the matter is settled in the final furlong.

The Louisville Thoroughbred Society is named for a newly formed private club that offers wagering on races and other amenities at its Main Street location in downtown Louisville.