Ben's Cat, winner of the Parx Dash Handicap (gr. IIIT) in 2012 and 2013, returns July 12 to Parx Racing for his fourth consecutive outing in the race and in search of his third straight Parx Dash victory.
The durable 8-year-old is a fan favorite who has done his home state of Maryland proud, compiling a 26-4-3 record from 40 starts and earnings $1,985,990 for King Leatherbury. In his last start, the June 7 Jaipur Invitational Stakes (gr. IIIT) going six furlongs on the inner turf at Belmont Park, he finished fourth. Eleven of his victories have come at the Parx Dash distance of five furlongs, including two wins in his only other starts this year—repeats in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes and Mister Diz Stakes, both at Pimlico Race Course earlier this spring.
Nine will face Ben's Cat in the Parx Dash this year, which the Parker's Storm Cat gelding won by 1 1/4 lengths with a late surge over Tightend Touchdown in 2013. Tightend Touchdown, winner of the May 31 Pennsylvania Governor's Cup Stakes at Penn National and dead-heat runner up in last year's GEICO Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT), is the 123-pound highweight and will break from post 2 under Kendrick Carmouche. Ben's Cat carries 122 from the 9 hole under regular rider Julien Pimentel.
Mr. Amore Stable's Tightend Touchdown, a Florida-bred 5-year-old gelded son of Pure Precision, has just two starts for trainer John Servis this season. The former $35,000 claimer scored his second consecutive Governor's Cup score by a 1 1/2-length margin and was eighth at Gulfstream Park in the Feb. 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes after getting bumped at the break.
Another exiting the Jaipur is Martin Racing Stable's Marchman, a 4-year-old Sharp Humor colt who put in a good run there to finish within 1 1/2 lengths of winner Undrafted after stumbling at the start. Back-to-back winner of the Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Churchill Downs and the Shakertown Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Keeneland for trainer Bret Calhoun, Marchman drew the outside and will be ridden by Robby Albarado carrying 121.
Also entered is grade III winner Stormofthecentury, second in the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup last out, who took the Turf Monster Handicap (gr. IIIT) last September over Tightend Touchdown and Ben's Cat with an upset at odds of 28-1.
Those with minor stakes victories include Bold Thunder, third in the Governor's Cup and winner of the Feb. 26 Silks Run Stakes at the Parx Dash distance, local contender This Ain't No Bull—winner of the Marshall Jenney Handicap at Parx last September—and recent Karl Boyes Memorial Stakes winner Sharp Sensation.
West Point Thoroughbreds' Satin and Lace Stakes winner Quality Lass, returning to turf after stepping to synthetics to secure that June 8 score, is the lone female in the race. The 5-year-old daughter of Exclusive Quality was third in Gulfstream's The Very One Stakes in May when making her only other start of the season.
