Top sprint mares Bell's the One, Sconsin face off again in Chicago Stakes
If this were 2021, the Grade 3, $200,000 Chicago Stakes would be contested on the synthetic main track at Arlington Park, and almost certainly wouldn’t be hosting the latest matchup between Churchill Downs-based dirt sprint mares Bell’s the One and Sconsin. But with Arlington closing at the end of last year’s meet, and a number of its major stakes shifted to Churchill, the seven-furlong Chicago has become an attractive prize in their own backyard.
The 6-year-old Bell’s the One, trained by Neil Pessin, and 5-year-old Sconsin, trained by Greg Foley, have met five times before. In their two most recent meetings, they swept the exacta in a pair of 2021 stakes at Churchill Downs. Bell’s the One won the Roxelana last June by three-quarters of a length. In September, Sconsin turned the tables in the Open Mind, holding off her charging foe by a half-length.
Overall, Bell’s the One has earned more than $1.6 million while winning nine career stakes, including the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff in 2020 at Churchill. She opened this year by finishing second in the Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland, her late rally falling short by three-quarters of a length. She then leveled out late to finish fourth in the Derby City Distaff on May 7 behind Obligatory, fellow late-runner Four Graces – who returns for the Chicago – and Madison winner Just One Time. After the race, Pessin said he may have “misread” the mare’s readiness and has freshened her for the Chicago.
“I thought she was a little flat in the Derby City Distaff,” Pessin said. “This will give her a little extra time between her starts and still be able to run over the track we know she loves.”
As Bell’s the One passed on the Grade 3 Winning Colors on May 30, Sconsin made her season debut there and won the race for the second straight year, scorching the six furlongs in 1:08.18 in a long drive. It was the fourth stakes win at Churchill for the mare, who is approaching millionaire status.
“She’s an incredible mare,” Foley said. “She wasn’t quite ready Derby week, so we gave her the time she needed to make sure she was fit enough to return a winner.”
While Sconsin has been a bit versatile with an ability to stalk as well as close, Bell’s the One, as well as Four Graces, a fellow graded stakes winner at Churchill, will need pace up front of their late charges.
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“She’s got a quarter-of-a-mile run, but it’s a very fast quarter-of-a-mile run,” Pessin said of Bell’s the One, who will have regular rider Corey Lanerie aboard. “You have to be careful on her not to move too soon or too late. You have to time it pretty accurately, especially against good fillies.”
The pace could be provided by Lady Rocket, winner of the Grade 3 Go for Wand at a mile last December at Aqueduct and the pacesetter in her two losses last season. Bayerness, who drew the inside post, was sharp when dueling to win this year’s Roxelana – albeit, in a three-horse field – in her first start of the season. Kalypso pressed the pace for her signature win in the Grade 1 La Brea in December and could be forwardly placed again if others don’t take initiative.
