Bobby’s Kitten seeks rebound in Penn Mile

Bobby’s Kitten seeks to add the Penn Mile to his past success in the Pilgrim (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography)

Favored in all six of his previous outings, Bobby’s Kitten figures to be the
public choice again when he faces seven rivals in the $500,000
Penn Mile
on Saturday. Inaugurated last season, the one-mile grass test for
three-year-olds highlights a blockbuster card at Penn National, located outside
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

A head-strong son of Kitten’s Joy, Bobby’s Kitten demonstrated his immense
talent when taking the Pilgrim at Belmont Park last fall by 6 1/4 lengths.
However, after setting a very quick pace in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at
Santa Anita, the Chad Brown trainee weakened to third behind a pair of European
shippers.

Back on form when winning a March 8 Tampa Bay Downs allowance over returning
rival Global View, Bobby’s Kitten found his early speed detrimental in the 1
1/8-mile Blue Grass at Keeneland last time. Pressing the pace from second in his
first attempt on Polytrack, Bobby’s Kitten made a swift retreat around the far
turn and lost by more than 25 lengths.

Global View was up in time to take the American Turf (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

The one who might benefit from an early duel is Global View, who notched his
second graded stakes win with a neck victory over Storming Inti in the May 3
American Turf. Also hero of the Generous at Hollywood Park last November, the
Galileo colt futilely chased a loose-on-the-lead Bobby’s Kitten at Tampa in
early March.

Other leading candidates include Divine Oath, who captured his first outings
on grass at Gulfstream before finishing second to Mr Speaker in the Lexington on
Keeneland’s Polytrack, and the Grade 3-placed stakes winner Coastline, a son of
Speightstown making his turf bow.

Last Gunfighter, whose stakes wins last season came in the Hawthorne Gold
Cup, Pimlico Special, Excelsior, and Philip H. Iselin, returns to action in the
$200,000
Mountainview Handicap over nine furlongs.

Last Gunfighter, shown winning the Philip H. Iselin, returns to action in the Mountainvew (William Osborn/Equi-Photo)

A dozen older horses have been entered for the $150,000
Pennsylvania
Governor’s Cup, including the five-furlong turf dash’s 2013 winner Tightend
Touchdown, who later went on to finish second to Mizdirection in the Breeders’
Cup Turf Sprint.

Also in with a shot are Stormofthecentury, upset winner of the Turf Monster
Handicap at Parx last fall; multiple Grade 3 winner Great Attack, who second in
the Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico last out; and Stormy Rush and Bold Thunder,
prominent stakes performers over the winter at Gulfstream.

The program-opening $100,000
Penn Oaks
has attracted eight three-year-old fillies to go one mile on the turf. The
likely favorite is Ready to Act, who’s taken the Beaumont at Keeneland and the
Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream in her last two appearances. Also in the mix are
the stakes-placed Santa Anita allowance winner Famous Alice, Bourbonette Oaks
winner Aurelia’s Belle, and Florida Oaks third Interrupted.