Ben’s Cat seeks record fourth Maryland Million victory

Ben’s Cat won the last three runnings of the now-defunct Maryland Million Turf Sprint (Maryland Jockey Club/Stuart Haman) Maryland-bred star Ben’s Cat will have to find a new race to conquer when the 28th Jim McKay Maryland Million program is contested at Laurel on Saturday. The seven-year-old gelding will seek a record fourth series win in either the $100,000 Maryland Million Sprint or the $125,000 Maryland Million Turf after the Maryland Million Turf Sprint, a race he won three times from 2010-12, was eliminated from this year’s program. The Sprint, contested over six furlongs, would seem the more logical option as the King Leatherbury trainee has captured 18 stakes, mostly sprints, in a remarkable career. A multiple Grade 3 winner on turf, Ben’s Cat is no slouch on dirt with his most recent victory on the surface occurring last November in the $200,000 Fabulous Strike Handicap at Penn National.

The Sprint might arguably be the toughest race on the card. In addition to
Ben’s Cat, the race has also attracted 2012 Sprint winner Action Andy, who
subsequently captured the $350,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash and the
$58,000 Pelican at Tampa Bay Downs. After placing in several stakes last winter
in Florida, Action Andy finished last in the May 18 Maryland Sprint Handicap in
his most recent outing.

Entering the Sprint hot as lava are Ribo Bobo and Fersmiley. Ribo Bobo is
riding an eight-race unbeaten streak, including the $72,000 Icecapade at
Monmouth Park last month. Fersmiley captured his fourth in a row in a
Pennsylvania-bred stakes at Parx last time.

The Turf, which was reduced in distance from nine furlongs to eight this
year, has also attracted the top three finishers from last year’s race: Roadhog,
Change of Command, and Pasta Lover.

Eighttofasttocatch won the 2011 Maryland Million Classic but finished fifth in the 2012 edition (Maryland Jockey Club/Jim McCue) The most lucrative race in the series, the $150,000 Maryland Million Classic, has the potential to be the most lopsided. Despite running below par in his most recent start at Mountaineer, 2011 Classic winner Eighttofasttocatch towers over his six rivals from a class perspective. The seven-year-old was in top form at Pimlico last spring, capturing the $91,000 Henry S. Clark before finishing second in the Pimlico Special. Only Seventeenohsix, among the rest in the 1 1/8-mile test, has placed in stakes company this season. Another defending a Maryland Million title Saturday is Pagan Priestess, who drew the rail in the $125,000 Maryland Million Ladies at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. Pagan Priestess could face a stiff challenge from the three-year-old Mystic Love, who captured the $130,000 Selima and the $100,000 Dania Beach in the fall of her juvenile season.

The three-year-old filly Ju Ju Eyeballs, a stakes winner on dirt and turf at
Monmouth over the summer, is the likely favorite in the $100,000
Maryland
Million Distaff Handicap at seven furlongs. The Jason Servis pupil missed by
a nose to the tough Madame Giry in the $82,000 Jameela over the Laurel turf most
recently.

The stakes action kicks off with the $100,000
Maryland
Million Nursery for two-year-olds at six furlongs, and the $100,000
Maryland
Million Lassie for juvenile fillies at six furlongs.

It’s a Bang figures to dominate the Nursery wagering after a sensational 9
1/2-length debut win at Laurel on October 10, but the rail-skimming Joint
Custody could prove tough off an October 2 allowance win over the course and
distance.

The Lassie likely features another overwhelming favorite in Jonesin for
Jerry, who enters off a 12-length starter allowance score at Delaware Park.
Kentucky shipper Pocket Gift could also attract play as she makes her first ever
start on dirt.

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