A Dozen in the Penn Mile
An even dozen are set to answer the call to the post in the G2 Penn Mile. This field is pretty evenly matched, and it should be a wild ride to the finish, and the winner’s share of $1.5 million.
Atomic’s Empire Causeway is the lukewarm favorite at 4/1. The big brown son of Empire Maker was last seen in a tough defeat in the King Kong Mile-G1, where he could not quite catch Funny Truth, but posted a 116 SF in defeat. Prior to that, the five year old had won the DiCaprio Handicap with a 115 SF. In peak form right now, he’ll be tough to beat.
Pick6king has Silver Stealth ready to go. Rested since finishing third in the Breeders’ Bowl Mile, the son of Silver Deputy has been impressing the clockers with his works leading up to this race. Earlier in the year, the five year old won the Sydney Mile-G1 (114 SF) and the Yasuda Mile-G2 (111 SF), but the closer has not been quite able to get there since. J Piotrowski, the leading rider at Penn, will give this guy his best shot of hitting the wire at exactly the right time.
Npark’s Pride is probably a challenge for the racetrack announcer to pronounce, but they’re having to learn it. The son of Vindication won the Walnut BB Mile-G2 two starts back with a 111 SF and has earned just shy of $1 million for maple6337. He seems to be rounding back into the form that won the Nordic Chemical-G3 with a 117 SF, so ignore at your peril.
Also at 6/1 is hottotrot’s Swing Time. The tempermental bay has won two straight – The Big Europe Mile-G2 (109 SF), and the Von Bremen-G3 (111 SF). Rider Douglas has his work cut out to duplicate J Walsh’s success with this guy, but if the son of King’s Best can keep it together, he very well could make it three in a row.
The third 6/1 shot is one of two super entries in the field. Super has had some success with this race, and hopes to add to that legacy today. The Seven Seas likes to go to the front and has just missed in several big events, finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Bowl Mile-G1. Taken slightly off the pace, the Montjeu colt responded with a victory in the Leviathan Turf-G2 last out, and Kelly will be trying to rate this guy again in hopes of a visit to the winners’ circle. Based on recent speed figures (111 SF, 113 SF), the three year old fits right in.
Correction’s Waltzing In is a royally bred son of Kingmambo. He’s been doing his best to live up to that pedigree, but has been knocking heads with some of the other entrants, finishing third in the Yasuda Mile-G2, second in the DiCaprio Mile-G1 (112 SF) and inexplicably failed to run a step in the Breeders’ Bowl Mile last out. He’s been freshened since then, and a return to the form he showed this summer would put the lanky bay back in the thick of the hunt.
The longshot special of this race at 13/1 is Breyers, who has really blossomed towards the end of the year. The third generation of ice cream inspired names – Ben and Jerry and Sherbet are the next two, the muscular roan has won two straight graded stakes – the Judge’s View with a 111, and the Lipstick Guineas with a 109.
The other 13/1 shot in the field is also a sophomore tackling elders. Street Leader won the Minnesota-NWRC Challenge (which is somehow labeled a dirt race, but most decidedly run on turf). He fired off a 111 SF in victory for cgk. Next out, he had to settle for second going 9 furlongs, and should appreciate the cutback in distance.
Outback Sunrise is a lightly raced son of musket. He was a solid second in the Milton’s Mile-G3, posting a 110 SF, but hasn’t fared as well in his next two starts. Summerbird looks for improvement from his charge here. Pointblank’s Dark Aurora is making only the seventh start of his career, but the son of Monsun has done little wrong to date. The colt won his first four starts at a mile, including a 108 SF effort, before settling for second in the GRSimster’s Championships (112 SF). On speed figures, he fits in with the rest of the field. Cmd2001’s Disguised as Evil tends to be hit or miss, but when the son of Discreet Cat is in the mood to run, he can run, as evidenced by his win in the Bimshire Turf Route (107 SF), or his victory in the Comedy Central (108 SF). The main knock against him is that his best running has come at longer distances. General’s Son, not surprisingly the son of Hall of Fame sprinter General’s Chariot, takes a steep step up in class here. The three year old Danehill Dancer colt just missed in an allowance last out with a sparkling 112 SF, and was second in a G3 stakes in his only other try at this distance. If he can win, he’ll make his “mom” proud on DPCD, but this is no easy feat.
Good luck to the entrants and their connections!