The $500,000 Madison Stakes (G1) is set for a rematch.
Defending winner Kimari and runner-up Bell's the One will duel it out around the Keeneland oval April 9, meeting for a second straight year in the seven-furlong sprint on opening weekend in the bluegrass.
Trained by Wesley Ward, Kimari is fresh off of a landslide victory March 3 at Gulfstream Park, where she put an overmatched field of allowance optional claiming rivals in their place. Ward believes the 5 1/4-length victory and subsequent workouts have the 5-year-old daughter of Munnings primed to defend her title as she looks to become the only two-time winner in the 21-year history of the race.
"She's looking great; she had a very nice comeback race. We got her right up here to Keeneland after that," he said. "The works have been just what we wanted to see. She had a nice three-quarters of a mile the other day. She's ready to go."
Owned by Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Westerberg, and Jonathan Poulin, Kimari faced soundness issues last year following her Madison score. After a nearly eight-month hiatus, she returned at the highest level to run seventh in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Del Mar.
Calling her a "tremendous mare and a win machine," Ward said he has the five-time stakes winner back in top form. Tyler Gaffalione has the call from post 6 in a field of 10.
Looking for a better trip than last year and in for a third try at the Madison trophy is Lothenbach Stables' Bell's the One, who ran third in this race in 2020 before coming one spot closer in 2021 when she dead-heated for the place.
Trained by Neil Pessin, the 6-year-old daughter of Majesticperfection last ran in the 2021 Dream Supreme Stakes in November at Churchill Downs, where she edged out stakes winner Club Car, who is also entered in this spot. While she looks to fire fresh off the bench, Pessin is confident in her ability to do so.
"I am respectful of all and fear none," Pessin said. "I think I've got the best horse and if we get a good trip then I expect her to win."
Bell's the One earned her coveted top-level score in the 2020 Derby City Distaff Presented by Derby City Gaming (G1) at Churchill and has won multiple graded stakes, including the 2019 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) and the 2021 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes (G2). Still, Pessin feels the $1.5 million earner is underestimated.
"I'd more like to see her do well for her, because I still don't think she's gotten the respect she deserves," he said.
Regular rider Corey Lanerie will be in the irons from post 5. He knows they will have to be at their best to beat Kimari, but says he feels in sync with the spunky mare, who he has ridden in her last 12 starts.
"We have a strong connection," he said. "She's got a personality. She can be kind of mean sometimes when she's ready to run but she's so good you can stand to put up with it. We like to give her (her own) way.
"She's real tough; she's a good horse. Hopefully we're going to have to have some pace to run at and have a good trip."
Their rivals include 2021 La Brea Stakes (G1) winner Kalypso, third in the Feb. 5 Santa Monica Stakes (G2) last out; Jan. 29 Inside Information Stakes (G2) victress Just One Time, who rides a three-race win streak into her grade 1 debut; 2021 Go for Wand Handicap (G3) winner Lady Rocket; 2021 Sugar Swirl Stakes (G3) victress Center Aisle; 2021 Prioress Stakes (G2) winner Cilla fresh off a score in the Feb. 5 LA Bred Premier Matron Stakes; and 2020 Beaumont Stakes Presented by Keeneland Select (G3) winner Four Graces, third in the Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) last out. Ward also sends out Tiz Splendid News, a 9 1/4-length winner of a March 6 allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream.
Keeneland, Saturday, April 9, 2022, Race 7Entries: Madison S. (G1)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Cilla (LA) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 123 Brett A. Brinkman 20/1 2 2Center Aisle (KY) Luis Saez 123 Paulo H. Lobo 12/1 3 3Lady Rocket (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 123 Brad H. Cox 5/2 4 4Just One Time (PA) Flavien Prat 123 Brad H. Cox 8/1 5 5Bell's the One (KY) Corey J. Lanerie 123 Neil L. Pessin 7/2 6 6Kimari (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 123 Wesley A. Ward 2/1 7 7Four Graces (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 123 Ian R. Wilkes 15/1 8 8Club Car (KY) Colby J. Hernandez 123 Ben Colebrook 15/1 9 9Kalypso (KY) Gerardo Corrales 123 Steven M. Asmussen 15/1 10 10Tiz Splendid News (KY) Kazushi Kimura 123 Wesley A. Ward 15/1
