Ben's Cat Wins Parx Dash!

Go Get 'em Ben!!

Parx Dash rematches 1-2-3 finishers from Pennsylvania Governor's Cup
By Dick Jerardi

Was Tightend Touchdown really as good as he looked when he won the Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup at Penn National? What would have gone down that evening if Ben’s Cat had not been taken out nearly to the outer rail on the backstretch of the turf course? Would anything have mattered because Tightend Touchdown won by 5 1/2 lengths and missed the five-furlong course record by a hundredth of a second?

Some of those questions will be answered Friday at Parx Racing when they run the Grade 3, $200,000 Park Dash Handicap. Tightend Touchdown, Bridgetown, and Ben’s Cat, 1-2-3 at Penn on June 1, are the stars of the seven-horse field running five furlongs on the grass.

Ben’s Cat won the Parx Dash and the Turf Monster at Parx last year. The amazing 7-year-old Ben’s Cat, with 21 wins in 32 starts, is closing on $1.5 million in earnings. Bridgetown was second to Ben’s Cat in the Parx Dash last year and is closing on $1 million. Tightend Touchdown is a new player in the grass sprint game and, judging by that last performance, a very serious player.

Even with all the rain, they will try very hard to run the run the race on grass.

“It’s supposed to be like it was last week, a chance of a thunderstorm every night the rest of the week,’’ said Sal Sinatra, Parx’s director of racing.

There is a lot of early speed in the race with Wild Memories, Tightend Touchdown, Bridgetown, and Luckysdream (whose speed is all on the main track). Whether any of that speed can hang with Tightend Touchdown is the question. If the pace is too quick and contested, you just know Ben’s Cat will be coming in the stretch.

“I never saw Ben’s Cat close,’’ said Sinatra, who was at Penn National for the race. “I was down on the apron. When that horse pushed him and Chamberlain Bridge out, I just thought he was cooked. I was just shocked Ben’s Cat even hit the board. ’’

It really was hard to separate how fast Tightend Touchdown ran at the start from how fast Ben’s Cat ran at the finish.

We may see this same group again on Labor Day at Parx for the $350,000 Turf Monster. Then, on Sept. 21, it is the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby, the $1 million Cotillion, and the $300,000 Gallant Bob. Sinatra points out that early closing for the Sept. 21 races is Saturday with $250 for the Pa. Derby and Cotillion and $100 for the Gallant Bob necessary to reserve a spot at this stage.

DRF

Congrats Ben, Owner, Breeder, Trainer Leatherbury and Jock Jukian Pimentell


Photo: Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
Ben's Cat picks up his 22nd win in the Parx Dash.

Ben's Cat returned to winning ways July 5 in the $200,000 Parx Dash Handicap (gr. IIIT), launching a bold outside run to best Tightend Touchdown for his 22nd victory from 33 starts (VIDEO).

In his last race, the June 1 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup, the 7-year-old gelded son of Parker's Storm Cat was forced to check abruptly while racing mid-pack on the outside, and made a remarkable recovery to get up for third.

This time for trainer King Leatherbury at Parx Racing, Ben's Cat encountered no such trouble. Hesitant to load, he sat well back fifth in a field of six once the gates opened. Wild Memories gunned to the lead for a :22.19 quarter and a half in :46.67 with favored Tightend Touchdown giving chase while Ben's Cat was still fifth.

Jockey Julian Pimentel tipped the 17-time stakes winner out from his rail spot as the field turned for home, with Tightend Touchdown the one to catch having taken over the lead. Ben's Cat closed in a flash down the center of the course and inhaled his final competitor for a 1 1/4-length win margin.


The victory reversed the tables from the Governor's Cup, which Tightend Touchdown won for Mr. Amore Stable by 5 1/2 lengths in :54.62—one 1/110th of a second off the Penn National Race Course track record.

Final time for the 5-furlong turf sprint was :59.43 over turf labeled "good." Melnyk Racing Stables' Bridgetown completed the tri, with Luckysdream, Wild Memories, and Catalactic rounding out the order of finish. Spring to the Sky scratched.

Ben's Cat returned $4.60, $2.20, and $2.10 as the second choice while Tightend Touchdown brought $2.20 and $2.10 and Bridgetown paid $2.20.

With the Parx Dash victory, Ben's Cat improved his earnings to $1,597,140 for a 22-3-2 record from 33 starts. Bred in Maryland by Leatherbury and Associates out of the Thirty Eight Paces mare Twofox, he races for Leatherbury under The Jim Stable.



Read more on BloodHorse.com: www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/79250/bens-cat-back-to-winning-ways-in-parx-dash#ixzz2YDvjMBoY
Read more on BloodHorse.com: www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/79250/bens-cat-back-to-winning-ways-in-parx-dash#ixzz2YDvbtypb