Ben's Cat takes Jim McKay Turf Sprint
May 18, 2013 0:00:47 GMT -5
Post by Jon on May 18, 2013 0:00:47 GMT -5
Here ya go Racinggal! It's hard not to like this horse!
Ben's Cat takes Jim McKay Turf Sprint for a second time
The remarkable Ben's Cat earned his 16th career stakes victory for legendary Maryland horseman King Leatherbury on Friday in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico.
Rating about five lengths behind the pacesetting Spring to the Sky for the opening three furlongs, Ben's Cat found his best stride inside the eighth pole and wore down the long-time leader by a length. Ridden by Julian Piminetel, the seven-year-old gelding completed five furlongs on firm ground in :56 and paid $4.20.
Spring to the Sky held second by a half-length over the Bridgetown, who started as the slight favorite over Ben's Cat, though both left the gate at 11-10. Bridgetown tracked the leader in second but didn't have enough to get by that one in his first start off an extended layoff. Bridgetown was followed under the wire by Super Chunky, Sneaking Uponyou and Kens Cape. Night Officer and Zabarajad were scratched.
Also the winner of the 2011 Jim McKay Turf Sprint, Ben's Cat's previous stakes wins include the past two renewals of the Grade 3 Turf Monster Handicap, the last three editions of the Maryland Million Turf Sprint, and the last four runnings of the Mister Diz for state-breds. His other black type victories include the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup, the Parx Dash, the Laurel Dash and the Find Handicap. His record now stands at 31-21-3-1, $1,462,290.
Bred, owned and trained by Leatherbury, Ben's Cat is a son of Parker's Storm Cat out of the stakes-placed Thirty Eight Paces mare Twofox, who is a fill sister to Grade 2 queen Thirty Eight Go Go and a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Notches Trace.
"It looks like he's as good as ever as a seven-year-old," Leatherbury said. "He's not that well bred, I just hit a home run when everything fell into place with this horse. He's super and has stayed totally healthy. He's probably one of the best dirt-grass horses in the country. He'll run in the (Pennsylvania) Governor's Cup at Penn National on June 1."
Ben's Cat's late burst secured a second win in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint (Maryland Jockey Club/Jim McCue
www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/news/article.cgi?id=36785&from=656
Ben's Cat takes Jim McKay Turf Sprint for a second time
The remarkable Ben's Cat earned his 16th career stakes victory for legendary Maryland horseman King Leatherbury on Friday in the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico.
Rating about five lengths behind the pacesetting Spring to the Sky for the opening three furlongs, Ben's Cat found his best stride inside the eighth pole and wore down the long-time leader by a length. Ridden by Julian Piminetel, the seven-year-old gelding completed five furlongs on firm ground in :56 and paid $4.20.
Spring to the Sky held second by a half-length over the Bridgetown, who started as the slight favorite over Ben's Cat, though both left the gate at 11-10. Bridgetown tracked the leader in second but didn't have enough to get by that one in his first start off an extended layoff. Bridgetown was followed under the wire by Super Chunky, Sneaking Uponyou and Kens Cape. Night Officer and Zabarajad were scratched.
Also the winner of the 2011 Jim McKay Turf Sprint, Ben's Cat's previous stakes wins include the past two renewals of the Grade 3 Turf Monster Handicap, the last three editions of the Maryland Million Turf Sprint, and the last four runnings of the Mister Diz for state-breds. His other black type victories include the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup, the Parx Dash, the Laurel Dash and the Find Handicap. His record now stands at 31-21-3-1, $1,462,290.
Bred, owned and trained by Leatherbury, Ben's Cat is a son of Parker's Storm Cat out of the stakes-placed Thirty Eight Paces mare Twofox, who is a fill sister to Grade 2 queen Thirty Eight Go Go and a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Notches Trace.
"It looks like he's as good as ever as a seven-year-old," Leatherbury said. "He's not that well bred, I just hit a home run when everything fell into place with this horse. He's super and has stayed totally healthy. He's probably one of the best dirt-grass horses in the country. He'll run in the (Pennsylvania) Governor's Cup at Penn National on June 1."
Ben's Cat's late burst secured a second win in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint (Maryland Jockey Club/Jim McCue
www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/news/article.cgi?id=36785&from=656