Ben's Cat Seeks to Extend Mister Diz Streak

The Jim Stable's 10-year-old Ben's Cat, winner of 26 stakes in his career, will try for his seventh consecutive victory in the $75,000 Mister Diz Stakes Aug. 20, which is "Maryland Pride Day" at Laurel Park.

Bred and owned by his trainer, King Leatherbury, the Parker's Storm Cat gelding worked a half-mile in :50 1/5 at Laurel Aug. 5. He is expected to work again Aug. 21, Leatherbury told Maryland Jockey Club media officials.

So far this year, Ben's Cat has two wins and two thirds in four starts. The victories came in an open allowance test at Laurel and the Jim McKay Turf Sprint Stakes at Pimlico Race Course; he then finished third in the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course and the Parx Dash (gr. IIIT) at Parx Racing in his most recent start.

"He came out of the last one OK," Leatherbury said. "He wasn't getting hold of the turf course up there at all, but it was the same for the other horses, too."

The five-furlong Parx Dash, run on a turf course rated yielding, was won by Pure Sensation. The Mister Diz, for horses bred or sired in Maryland, is at 5 1/2 furlongs on grass. Ben's Cat has won the race from 2010-15.

"Seven years in a row—how can you pass that up?" Leatherbury said. "Very few horses have ever done anything like that. For one thing, very few horses can run in seven straight years, much less win a stakes, and then the same stakes. He's amazing."

Ben's Cat has earned $2,629,782 in 57 starts with 32 wins, nine seconds, and six thirds.