Perryville (Grade 3)- $350.000 Purse
KEE- For Three Year Olds
Seven Furlongs on the Dirt
October 18, 2025

The starting gate will be full on Saturday for the twelfth running of the Perryville, a race that will see a new high in regard to the purse offered, as $350.000 will be split amongst the top four finishers. This race has had an interesting history in that it debuted in 2005 as a Grade 3 but would be taken off the schedule after 2009. It would not be run again until 2015, as an ungraded race for just $100.000, but that would just be a one-off until 2020. It was back on the schedule then and began to see incremental purse increases. In 2024, it was once again a graded race, and was won by Crumbler, for Maxmillion Farm. That trainer has now won the last two runnings of this race. As for Crumbler, he’s running in top graded races still but has not hit the board at all in 2025. Maxmillion Farm does not have an entry in this race, and interestingly, neither does Mb Stables. I can’t remember the last time I’ve had a twelve horse, graded race, without either of those trainers! Let’s look at the entries of those that have made their way to the Perryville:

1- Sincere Leader (Asgar, ridden by B Curtis)- Very consistent horse that has hit the board in eight of his nine starts, winning four times and running third four times. A win here would be his third straight, and he comes here off a win in the $75.000 LA Cup Turf Classic. Now, that was a four-horse field with two stablemates, but it did earn a 98 SRF. Of course, this is not on the turf, but he has been plenty good in his dirt starts as well. This is his graded debut.

2- Neon Nightmare (Blazin D, ridden by F Pennington)- This is also a horse that is looking to win his third in a row. He ran against PA-Breds last time out in the $100.000 Prince Lucky Stakes, but if we are going to mention the similar disclaimer on Sincere Leader, we have to do the same here. That was a five-horse field, and also against two stablemates. It was a 98 SRF for him as well, but this is where we can see how good he may be.

3- Z Cide (Team 7 Illusions, ridden by G Corrales)- One of his seven starts have come here at KEE, and it was where he broke his maiden back in April. Unfortunately, he has not won since that race. There have been a couple duds, but also a couple of strong efforts, so he’s a little tough to predict as an outsider. I do like how he worked at CD coming into this, but he will have to show his good side here.

4- City Graveyard (Winning Link Stables, ridden by R M Hernandez)- Won a $50.000 claimer at SAR in August for his last start and would be entered into the September auction. It is there where Winning Link Stables picked him up, doing so for $15.230, and he obviously thinks very highly of him to enter him here in their first race together. The horse is truly untested at this level but has won four of ten in overnights.

5- Legalise (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by P Husbands)- At the start of his career, he was running well, taking part in KYD preps, and even running in the PRK. He struggled in that race and was dropped sharply into an optional claimer at MTH, we’re he ran second. Tough to get a handle on, as initially he might have been looking as though he was going to rebound from the PRK, but his last two starts show anything but. He does work well but needs to translate into a race again.

6- Tube (Spankys Barn, ridden by J L Ortiz)- Making the 19th start of his career, but just the fourth for Spankys Barn after the trainer acquired him for $200.000 in July. Tube has only hit the board five times, with three wins while having a heavy diet of stakes action throughout his career. One of his wins is with Spankys Barn, though it was in an allowance. Last time out, ran in the Gallant Bob (Grade 2) and didn’t cash a check. Ultimately, he may thrive in this barn, but right now, I am hesitant to pick him.

7- Cherokee Revolution (Royalty Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Picked up by the trainer in late May for $50.000, and just four days later, he was in action with Royalty Stables. That would be in the Grade 3 Triple Bend Stakes, where he ran fourth while earning a 100 SRF. He has plenty of stakes experience and is interesting a perfect 3-for-3 when running less than a mile. This is a distance that should suit him well.

8- Aggravated Jung (Noblepark, ridden by P Lopez)- Looks to be one of the top horses in this field, as he comes here off a great showing in winning the Grade 2 Gallant Bob at PRX. The victory was his third in four starts, with a couple of ungraded wins also included in that stretch, coming at both six and seven furlongs. Digging deeper, he’s won five of seven, as well. He’s 19th in BC Sprint points, so needed to do more than win the Gallant Bob. His dud in the Crosby did him in, in terms of making that race, and he will look to take it out on this group.

9- First Steps (Mo Mentum Farm, ridden by T Conner)- Will take his first steps on the track for a race as a member of Mo Mentum Farm as the trainer picked him up in the September auction for $26.000. He’s only been running in overnights and has done a little bit of everything in terms of surface and distance. A winner of two from twelve starts, with his last win coming two back in a $25.000 claimer from SAR. Working well coming into this, so we’ll if the new trainer gets him to take the next step.

10- Brooklyn Bash (First Flight Stable, ridden by L R Rivera)- Has run in KYD preps, and then the KYD and the PRK themselves, but that has not kept him from changing trainer hands two times since April. First Flight Stable picked him up for $150.000 less than a week after he ran in the PRK. Brooklyn Bash has run three times since, cashing a check each time, but no finish better than third. Fourth in the Gallant Bob last month.

11- Turning Point (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by F Geroux)- The last time this horse won was back in July of last year, but we know that does not stop TwinTowersRacing from staying with it and entering horses he likes in races such as this. He’s hit the board five times in 14 starts, but only once since that victory. Does like to be fourth, though. Now, it is time for a turning point for Turning Point, and I think he could hit the board again here.

12- Mr Cockypants (La Canada Racehorses, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- In March, Mr Cockypants won the Grade 3 Gotham for his third win in a row, but the victories have since stopped coming for him. He’s been good, though, hitting the board in two of his last four starts, each in graded races. The other two are the game’s most agonizing finish: fifth by a length. Two straight 100 SRF’s for him, and he continues to work well. Biggest threat to Aggravated Jung.

Prediction: 8-12-11-2

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES