Over the last 18 months, racing fans have enjoyed the rivalry of Bell's the One and Sconsin and will be treated to their eighth clash against one another in the $300,000 Open Mind Stakes Sept. 17 at Churchill Downs.
The six-furlong Open Mind will go as race 7 of 11 on a five-stakes Saturday with a post time of 3:50 p.m. ET.
Four weeks ago, Bell's the One and Sconsin met for the seventh time and dueled in the $200,000 Lady Tak Stakes. Bell's the One got the better of her rival and scored a 1 1/2-length victory. Owned by Lothenbach Stables and trained by Neil Pessin, Bell's the One is 8-for-9 lifetime when she competes at six furlongs. Bell's the One has also run some of her best races beneath the Twin Spires.
The 6-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection has won five of 11 starts at Churchill Downs with three seconds and one third. In last year's Open Mind, Bell's the One closed ground late but could not get by Sconsin, who scored a three-quarter length victory. Regular rider Corey Lanerie will once again be in the saddle in the Open Mind and the duo will break from post 4.
Lloyd Madison Farms IV's Sconsin finished a disappointing fourth in the Lady Tak as the 4-5 favorite. Trained by Greg Foley, Sconsin has five wins from 10 starts at Churchill Downs and three wins from five starts at the six-furlong distance. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will be back aboard the 5-year-old Include mare, who breaks from the rail.
Through 12 runnings of the Open Mind there have been no repeat winners of the race. Sconsin set the stakes record in last year's running when she scorched six furlongs in 1:08.75.
Michael and Katherine Ball's Club Car, often a bridesmaid in matchups against Sconsin and Bell's the One, is among three other fillies and mares entered.
Male sprinters compete a few races later in the $275,000 Louisville Thoroughbred Society Stakes, where Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's multiple stakes winner Isolate will lead a group of eight colts and geldings in the six-furlong race. It will go as race 10 at 5:26 p.m.
Isolate, trained by Tom Amoss, will enter the Louisville Thoroughbred Society on a two-race win streak after open-length victories in the $75,000 Work All Week Stakes at Hawthorne Park and $135,000 Tale of the Cat Stakes at Saratoga Race Course. The six-time winning son of Mark Valeski will be ridden by Joel Rosario and break from post 6.
Chief among his rivals in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society is The Scherr Boys' multiple stakes winner Necker Island . Trained by Chris Hartman, Necker Island won the $75,000 Jeff Hall Memorial Stakes at Ellis Park and crossed the wire first in the $150,000 Chesapeake Stakes at Colonial Downs but was subsequently disqualified and placed third due to interference in deep stretch. The 5-year-old son of Hard Spun has recorded five wins from 12 starts at Churchill Downs, most notably a head victory in last year's $300,000 Bet On Sunshine Stakes. Francisco Arrieta will have the mount from post 4.
Jay Em Ess Stable's Miles Ahead, runner-up to Aloha West in the Kelly's Landing Overnight Stakes July 2 for trainer Paul McGee, leads the opposition.
Churchill Downs, Saturday, September 17, 2022, Race 7Entries: Open Mind S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Sconsin (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 122 Gregory D. Foley 8/5 2 2Joyful Cadence (KY) Reylu Gutierrez 122 John Alexander Ortiz 7/2 3 3Cheetara (CHI) Vincent Cheminaud 120 Ignacio Correas, IV 15/1 4 4Bell's the One (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 122 Neil L. Pessin 6/5 5 5Club Car (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 120 Ben Colebrook 5/1
Churchill Downs, Saturday, September 17, 2022, Race 10Entries: Louisville Thoroughbred Society S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Manny Wah (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 121 Wayne M. Catalano 10/1 2 2A C Expressway (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 123 Norm W. Casse 8/1 3 3Robo Man (KY) Florent Geroux 121 Lacy Pierce 15/1 4 4Necker Island (KY) Francisco Arrieta 121 Chris A. Hartman 5/2 5 5Miles Ahead (KY) Martin Garcia 121 Paul J. McGee 6/1 6 6Isolate (FL) Joel Rosario 123 Thomas M. Amoss 7/5 7 7Top Gunner (KY) Reylu Gutierrez 123 John Alexander Ortiz 5/1 8 8Baytown Bear (KY) Jack Gilligan 121 Paul McEntee 30/1
