By Alan Carasso
Bell’s the One (Majesticperfection), arguably the best horse to carry the silks of the late Bob Lothenbach and who was among the first book of mares bred to Horse of the Year Flightline (Tapit), lost her foal at the seven-month stage in September, her trainer Neil Pessin confirmed Wednesday.
“Bob loved her and he was really looking forward to having that foal,” Pessin said.
Pessin purchased the daughter of Street Mate (Street Cry {Ire}), bred by Bret Jones, on behalf of Lothenbach for $155,000 as a yearling at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton October Sale and she developed into one of the best filly and mare sprinters of her generation, finishing outside the top three on just two occasions at distances up to a mile. All totaled, Bell’s the One was an 11-time stakes winner, five of those in graded stakes capped by a scintillating defeat of Serengeti Empress (Alternation) in the GI Derby City Distaff in September 2020 and was third in that year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. She was also second in consecutive runnings of Keeneland’s GI Madison S. in 2021 and 2022. She concluded her career with a victory in last year’s Open Mind S. and retired with a mark of 27-13-5-3 and earnings of $2,000,675.
Bell’s the One was consigned to the 2022 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, but Lothenbach ultimately decided he wasn’t ready to let her go and bought her back on a bid of $2.6 million.
A decision on Bell’s the One and the rest of Lothenbach’s racing and breeding stock is pending.
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