Ben's Cat to Make 9YO Debut April 17
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Ben's Cat, named Maryland-bred Horse of the Year for a record fourth time earlier this year, is scheduled to make his 9-year-old debut April 17 in a five-furlong turf sprint at Pimlico Race Course.
Bred, owned, and trained by King Leatherbury, Ben's Cat drew post 5 for the open $55,000 allowance race that drew eight other contenders, including three Maryland-breds. He will carry regular rider Julien Pimentel and 120 pounds, two fewer than topweight Knockitdownhard.
Friday's race comes nine years to the day that Ben's Cat, a gelding by Parker's Storm Cat, was foaled. He has gone on to win 28 of 45 lifetime starts, including 23 stakes and four grade III races, the most recent of which was the Parx Dash Handicap last July.
"He's such a popular horse. Everybody knows him," said Leatherbury, who celebrated his 82nd birthday March 26. "Everybody asks me about him everywhere I go. 'Is Ben's Cat coming back?' 'When is Ben's Cat coming back?' So, here he is and we'll see what this race looks like. I'm looking forward to getting him going again."
In addition to his fourth Maryland-bred Horse of the Year title, Ben's Cat also took home titles as the state's top older male, sprinter, and turf horse for 2014 for a total 13 state-bred divisional championships in his career.
Following his annual winter vacation, Ben's Cat has had four works at Laurel Park since March 17 for his return. In his most recent breeze, he went five furlongs in 1:03 on April 2.
"He's worked four times for me here at Laurel and he's probably one work away from where I really would like him," Leatherbury said. "But he'll be fine."
Ben's Cat has run in 23 consecutive stakes since finishing sixth in an optional claiming allowance April 21, 2012 at Pimlico. He has opened each of his previous three campaigns in the Mister Diz Stakes, a race he has won five straight years. The race has been moved to be part of Laurel's first summer meet since 2010.
"That was the perfect return race because it was for Maryland-breds, which made it the easiest of all the races he had each year," Leatherbury said. "It was a good one to come off his winter rest. Then they said they were going to have an allowance race for him and, sure enough, it filled. I don't know if we'll have turf or not because of the rain, but it won't matter to him."
Following Fridays' race, Leatherbury said Ben's Cat will be pointed again to the $100,000 Jim McKay Turf Sprint, scheduled for five furlongs on the grass May 15, Black-Eyed Susan Day at Pimlico. Ben's Cat previously won the McKay in 2011, 2013, and 2014.
"That's been a good spot for him each year," said Leatherbury, who ranks fourth all-time among North American trainers, with 6,454 victories.
The return of Ben's Cat could be the start of a big weekend for Leatherbury, a finalist for induction into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. The class of 2015 will be announced on Monday, April 20.
"Oh, that's right. And I'm on a roll right now, too," said Leatherbury, who's won eight of 32 starts this year and has placed first, second or third in 19 of those races. "We've been clicking. I appreciate all the help and support I've had from the people that know me."