Ben's Cat Wins Mister Diz Sixth Straight Year
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On a day his now Racing Hall of Fame owner-breeder-trainer was honored, Ben's Cat won the $60,000 Mister Diz Stakes for a sixth straight year Saturday, Aug. 22 while nailing down the 30th victory overall in his amazing career.
Racing for Leatherbury's The Jim Stable at Laurel Park, Ben's Cat broke well then settled into fifth in the well-bunched field of seven Maryland-bred or Maryland-sired starters as Wire Funds led through a quarter-mile in :22.45 and Night Officer took charge for the half mile in :45.36.
Jockey Julian Pimentel on Ben's Cat found himself behind a wall of four horses on the turn but his mount had plenty of energy to rally. Pimentel opted to swing wide and the 9-year-old Parker's Storm Cat gelding reeled in Night Officer in the stretch on his way to a sixth straight victory in the 5 1/2-furlong turf stakes race that has been held at Pimlico Race Course and Laurel during that stretch that began in 2010.
"He likes to chase the other horses down. I had plenty of horse left at the end," Pimentel said. "He tends to look around when he gets in front, but he was not going to get beat today."
After the third race Saturday, new Hall of Famer Leatherbury was honored in a winner's circle presentation in which he was given a Longines watch and lawn jockey in his racing colors by Maryland Jockey Club president Sal Sinatra. Fans received a commemorative Leatherbury t-shirt.
"I couldn't believe that we were going to try to win this race for the fifth time last year. For a horse to win a stakes race six consecutive times is unheard of. Most of them are not even running six years down the road," said 82-year-old Leatherbury, who is hopeful that Ben's Cat will be ready to seek his seventh straight win in the Mister Diz next year.
Ben's Cat, a son of Parker's Storm Cat, completed the 5 1/2-furlong race in 1:02.97 on firm turf. The 2-5 favorite, Ben's Cat paid $2.80 to win and $2.10 to place and show. Second-choice Night Officer returned $2.60 and $2.10 while Sonny Inspired paid $4 to show.
The victory gives Ben's Cat 30 career wins—including 25 stakes wins—in 50 career starts. with earnings closing in on $2.5 million.