Ben's Cat Faces Tough Task in Fabulous Strike
Nov 22, 2014 2:14:46 GMT -5
Post by Jon on Nov 22, 2014 2:14:46 GMT -5
Know 3 ladies who will be watching!
Ben's Cat Faces Tough Task in Fabulous Strike
Bloodhorse
If the amazing Ben's Cat is going to make it back-to-back victories in the $200,000 Fabulous Strike Handicap on Thanksgiving Eve at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, the 8-year old will have to defeat one of the toughest fields he has faced in recent years.
The Fabulous Strike is the headline event of the 10-race Penn National Winter Racing Festival the night of Nov. 26. Post time for the first race is 6 p.m. EST, with the Fabulous Strike, race 4 on the card, set for a 7:22 p.m. start.
The $75,000 Blue Mountain Juvenile Fillies and the $100,000 Swatara Stakes are also on the card. The Fabulous Strike Handicap, which drew a field of 12, and the Swatara Stakes, are both part of the Penn Gaming Challenge.
The stakes trio proved popular to horsemen from all of the major mid-Atlantic racing centers. New York's leading trainer David Jacobson entered Stormin Monarcho and Wealth To Me in the Swatara, and Strapping Groom in the Fabulous Strike. The added-money events also drew entrants from the barns of Chad Brown, Kiaran McLaughlin, Jason Servis, Kelly Breen, Michael Stidham, and John Terranova.
Ben's Cat has won 27 of 44 career starts with earnings in excess of $2.2 million. He beat Ribo Bobo last year to win the Fabulous Strike under Julian Pimentel, who returns to ride for trainer/owner King T. Leatherbury. This year the bay gelding, who will carry 121 pounds from post 6, has won three of seven starts including the Parx Dash Handicap (gr. IIIT).
While most of his races have come on turf, Ben's Cat has won 10 of 14 dirt starts, including four victories from five tries on off-tracks. Second last time out in the Maryland Million Turf at Laurel Park Oct. 18, he is 5-1 on the morning line.
Drawing Away Stable's Strapping Groom is the 122-pound high weight under Cornelio Velasquez. The 7-year old won the Tom Fool Handicap (gr. III) March 1 and is making his first appearance since finishing fifth in the Carter Handicap (gr. I) April 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The chestnut son of Johannesburg has banked $931,713 with 10 wins from 28 lifetime starts, and is the 4-1 second choice in the field.
George and Lori Hall's Bern Identity, making a quick turnaround following the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Nov. 15 in which he was third, is the 7-2 morning line favorite. The 4-year-old son of Bernstein starts from the far outside post for trainer Kelly Breen, who has tabbed Paco Lopez for the ride.
Mr. Amore Stable's Tightend Touchdown definitely has the credentials to match strides with the top choices. He finished second in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT) last year, and was beaten 1 1/2 lengths in this year's edition at Santa Anita Park while finishing sixth Nov. 1. In between he made a visit to Penn National last May 31 when he captured the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup Handicap over the turf.
River Rocks should set the pace with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for trainer John Terranova II and owners James Corvello, Michael Imperio, and Half Hollow Racing. The 4-year-old son of Western Pride weakened to fourth in the seven-furlong Bold Ruler Handicap (gr. III) Oct. 25 at Belmont Park and finished second to Vyjack in the Kelso Handicap (gr. II) a month before that.
Fabulous Strike H.
Penn National Race Course, Wednesday, November 26, 2014, Race 4
STK
6f
Dirt
$200,000
3 yo's & up
7:22 PM (local)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Weight
Trainer
1 Barracuda Wayne (PA) Kaylia Albright 114 Murray L. Rojas
2 Weekend Hideaway (NY) Jose Lezcano 116 Philip M. Serpe
3 King Henry (FL) William P. Otero 117 Timothy C. Kreiser
4 Tightend Touchdown (FL) Jose L. Ortiz 120 Jason Servis
5 River Rocks (FL) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 117 John P. Terranova, II
6 Ben's Cat (MD) Julian Pimentel 121 King T. Leatherbury
7 Joe Tess (VA) Frankie Pennington 114 Derek S. Ryan
8 Calamondin (KY) Jose Delgadillo 114 Cathal A. Lynch
9 Trickmeister (KY) Ramon F. Moya 116 Daniel J. Lopez
10 Strapping Groom (KY) Cornelio H. Velasquez 122 David Jacobson
11 Javerre (NJ) J. D. Acosta 115 Cathal A. Lynch
12 Bern Identity (KY) Paco Lopez 120 Kelly J. Breen
Read more on BloodHorse.com: www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/88854/bens-cat-faces-tough-task-in-fabulous-strike#ixzz3JmMtUkGO
Ben's Cat Faces Tough Task in Fabulous Strike
Bloodhorse
If the amazing Ben's Cat is going to make it back-to-back victories in the $200,000 Fabulous Strike Handicap on Thanksgiving Eve at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, the 8-year old will have to defeat one of the toughest fields he has faced in recent years.
The Fabulous Strike is the headline event of the 10-race Penn National Winter Racing Festival the night of Nov. 26. Post time for the first race is 6 p.m. EST, with the Fabulous Strike, race 4 on the card, set for a 7:22 p.m. start.
The $75,000 Blue Mountain Juvenile Fillies and the $100,000 Swatara Stakes are also on the card. The Fabulous Strike Handicap, which drew a field of 12, and the Swatara Stakes, are both part of the Penn Gaming Challenge.
The stakes trio proved popular to horsemen from all of the major mid-Atlantic racing centers. New York's leading trainer David Jacobson entered Stormin Monarcho and Wealth To Me in the Swatara, and Strapping Groom in the Fabulous Strike. The added-money events also drew entrants from the barns of Chad Brown, Kiaran McLaughlin, Jason Servis, Kelly Breen, Michael Stidham, and John Terranova.
Ben's Cat has won 27 of 44 career starts with earnings in excess of $2.2 million. He beat Ribo Bobo last year to win the Fabulous Strike under Julian Pimentel, who returns to ride for trainer/owner King T. Leatherbury. This year the bay gelding, who will carry 121 pounds from post 6, has won three of seven starts including the Parx Dash Handicap (gr. IIIT).
While most of his races have come on turf, Ben's Cat has won 10 of 14 dirt starts, including four victories from five tries on off-tracks. Second last time out in the Maryland Million Turf at Laurel Park Oct. 18, he is 5-1 on the morning line.
Drawing Away Stable's Strapping Groom is the 122-pound high weight under Cornelio Velasquez. The 7-year old won the Tom Fool Handicap (gr. III) March 1 and is making his first appearance since finishing fifth in the Carter Handicap (gr. I) April 5 at Aqueduct Racetrack. The chestnut son of Johannesburg has banked $931,713 with 10 wins from 28 lifetime starts, and is the 4-1 second choice in the field.
George and Lori Hall's Bern Identity, making a quick turnaround following the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Nov. 15 in which he was third, is the 7-2 morning line favorite. The 4-year-old son of Bernstein starts from the far outside post for trainer Kelly Breen, who has tabbed Paco Lopez for the ride.
Mr. Amore Stable's Tightend Touchdown definitely has the credentials to match strides with the top choices. He finished second in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT) last year, and was beaten 1 1/2 lengths in this year's edition at Santa Anita Park while finishing sixth Nov. 1. In between he made a visit to Penn National last May 31 when he captured the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup Handicap over the turf.
River Rocks should set the pace with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard for trainer John Terranova II and owners James Corvello, Michael Imperio, and Half Hollow Racing. The 4-year-old son of Western Pride weakened to fourth in the seven-furlong Bold Ruler Handicap (gr. III) Oct. 25 at Belmont Park and finished second to Vyjack in the Kelso Handicap (gr. II) a month before that.
Fabulous Strike H.
Penn National Race Course, Wednesday, November 26, 2014, Race 4
STK
6f
Dirt
$200,000
3 yo's & up
7:22 PM (local)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Weight
Trainer
1 Barracuda Wayne (PA) Kaylia Albright 114 Murray L. Rojas
2 Weekend Hideaway (NY) Jose Lezcano 116 Philip M. Serpe
3 King Henry (FL) William P. Otero 117 Timothy C. Kreiser
4 Tightend Touchdown (FL) Jose L. Ortiz 120 Jason Servis
5 River Rocks (FL) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 117 John P. Terranova, II
6 Ben's Cat (MD) Julian Pimentel 121 King T. Leatherbury
7 Joe Tess (VA) Frankie Pennington 114 Derek S. Ryan
8 Calamondin (KY) Jose Delgadillo 114 Cathal A. Lynch
9 Trickmeister (KY) Ramon F. Moya 116 Daniel J. Lopez
10 Strapping Groom (KY) Cornelio H. Velasquez 122 David Jacobson
11 Javerre (NJ) J. D. Acosta 115 Cathal A. Lynch
12 Bern Identity (KY) Paco Lopez 120 Kelly J. Breen
Read more on BloodHorse.com: www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/88854/bens-cat-faces-tough-task-in-fabulous-strike#ixzz3JmMtUkGO