Bell's the One and Sconsin will renew rivalry in Dream Supreme

Louisville, Ky.

One of Churchill Downs’ hottest local rivalries will be refreshed on Saturday, when Bell’s the One and Sconsin face off once again in the $300,000 Dream Supreme, going six furlongs on the main track. The two have faced off five times during their careers, starting in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

In those matchups, Bell’s the One and Sconsin each have won once. Bell's the One has bested Sconsin three times, and Sconsin has been on ahead of Bell's the One twice.

Neil Pessin, who trains Bell’s the One, said the rivalry is all in good fun.

“I don’t get excited about anything anymore, I’m too old,” Pessin said. “But it‘s fun to look forward to. The Foleys and I are friends and we give each other a hard time about it all the time. One of them told me that they’re going to kick my butt, and I tapped him on the shoulder and told him ‘wake up, you’re having a dream.’ ”

The matchup was brought on when both trainers, who could have run in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Del Mar, decided to stay in Kentucky instead. Pessin said his decision was easy and was largely brought on by the need to ship to California on a FedEx flight with none of his people allowed on the plane.

That race was won by Ce Ce, who upset heavy favorite Gamine.

“Everyone thinks I was ducking Gamine. I was not, because I still think I could have beat her – and I said that before the race, not after,” Pessin said. “... My main reason for not going was shipping arrangements. This filly, she’s a little high-strung and I didn’t feel like putting her in a crate with none of my help there.”

Foley agreed with Pessin about travel and said he was thrilled to have the Dream Supreme available at Churchill.

“She looks like a million bucks,” Foley said of Sconsin. “Another hookup with Bell’s the One. … It’s going to be a good race again.”

Both horses won their last out, with Sconsin winning the Open Mind at Churchill, beating Bell’s the One, and Pessin’s mare coming out on top of the Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland. Saturday will mark the final race of 2021 for each of them.

Pessin said his mare is “sitting on go,” and he is hoping for a specific kind of trip.

“A winning one,” Pessin said. “I’m not afraid of anybody. … We’re pretty equally matched, but I’m confident in my filly – she gets a good trip, I think she wins.”

Sconsin has been most successful when she tracks the pace then makes a move toward the end of the race. Foley said he hoped for more of the same in the Dream Supreme.

The race will be drawn on Wednesday.

“Hopefully there’s a little speed because our filly runs best when she’s got a target,” Foley said. “You’d like to see 21 and change if you could get it. Whenever she gets those kind of fractions, she’s usually got a one by her name at the end of the race.”

The Dream Supreme, for fillies and mares ages 3 and up, is scheduled in the condition book as the 10th race on Saturday.