Ben’s Cat Back to Work Friday at Laurel
Ben’s Cat Back to Work Friday at Laurel
Bidding for Seventh Straight Victory in Mister Diz Stakes Aug. 20
LAUREL, MD – Bred, owned and trained by Hall of Fame horseman King Leatherbury, 10-year-old Ben’s Cat returned to the work tab Friday at Laurel Park as he aims for his seventh consecutive win in the $75,000 Mister Diz Stakes on Maryland Pride Day Aug. 20.
In his first timed breeze since finishing third in the Parx Dash (G3) July 9, the multiple Grade 3 winner went four furlongs in 50.20 seconds, ranking 13th of 19 horses.
“He went OK,” Leatherbury said. “It was nothing to brag on, but he got enough out of it. He’ll work one more time [Aug. 12] and we’ll be all set.”
Ben’s Cat has run four times this year, winning a May 1 allowance at Pimlico and his fourth straight Jim McKay Turf Sprint May 20 prior to third-place finishes in the Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup Stakes and Parx Dash.
“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.”
Through 57 lifetime starts, Ben’s Cat has 32 wins, 26 of them in stakes, and $2,629,782 in purse earnings. He is the six-time defending champion in the Mister Diz, having won the race at both Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course with four different riders and three different distances on turf and dirt.
In its 33rd year, the Mister Diz for Maryland-bred/sired horses 3 and up will be run at six furlongs on the grass. It is joined by the $75,000 Jameela Stakes for fillies and mares 3 and up, also at six furlongs.
“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 race, and then the same stakes race. He’s amazing.”
