Penn Mile Again Will Highlight Penn National Calendar

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course announced March 14 that the $400,000 Penn Mile (G2) will be contested on Friday, June 2, 2023. 

Now in its 10th running, the one-mile event for 3-year-olds on the turf will headline an exceptional evening of racing that will include the $150,000 Penn Oaks, $100,000 Danzig Stakes, $100,000 New Start Stakes, $100,000 Lyphard Stakes, and $100,000 With Anticipation Stakes.

Inaugurated in 2013, the Penn Mile was granted grade 3 status in 2015 and upgraded to a Grade 2 in 2017. Penn Mile winners include Kenneth L. Ramsey's homebred Bobby's Kitten , who lived up to his post-time favoritism in 2014 for Chad Brown and jockey Javier Castellano and went on to win that year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1).  In 2016, the Canadian champion filly Catch a Glimpse , trained by Mark Casse, won the Penn Mile prior to completing her career with earnings of $1.8 million. Last year's Penn Mile champion, Wow Whata Summer , pulled off an 83-1 upset for trainer James Lawrence II. Runner-up Annapolis , trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, went on to win three stakes in 2022, including the Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland .

The $150,000 Penn Oaks (listed) has also showcased many exemplary turf females, including 2019 champion Regal Glory . She added nine stakes wins following her Penn Oaks victory and was honored with the 2022 Eclipse Award for Turf Female.

"We are looking forward to hosting the Penn Mile, Penn Oaks, and four additional $100,000 stakes for Pennsylvania-breds on June 2," said Eric Johnston, director of racing operations for Penn National. "The race continues to attract the nation's elite horses, trainers, and jockeys to central Pennsylvania."

Post time for the Penn Mile Day card will be 5 p.m. (ET). Nominations will close Wednesday, May 17.