Bobby's Kitten Returns in Play the King

Last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (gr. IT) winner Bobby's Kitten is expected to make his first start of the season Aug. 23 in the Play the King Stakes (Can-IIT) at Woodbine.

A homebred for Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Bobby's Kitten has not raced since closing out last season with his half-length score in the Turf Sprint, a 6 1/2-furlong race on Santa Anita Park's hillside course in which the son of Kitten's Joy   rallied from 14th. Sunday's race will be contested at seven furlongs on the Woodbine turf.

Last year Bobby's Kitten fared well on the Woodbine turf, finishing third in the Ricoh Woodbine Mile (gr. IT). He has prepared for Sunday's race with eight workouts since June 23 for trainer Chad Brown, including his most recent move of a half-mile in :49.59 on the Saratoga Race Course training track. That breeze was fifth-fastest of 24 at the distance that day.

Brown said he again expects Bobby's Kitten to race off the pace early. The trainer said he has not decided if a return try in the Woodbine Mile will be up next.

Sunday's race has attracted a field of eight, including Tom Van Meter II and Scott Dilworth's Tower of Texas, a 4-year-old Street Sense gelding who won this year's King Edward Stakes (Can-IIT) on the Woodbine turf.