Friday was a wet day throughout the northeast, and PEN would be no exception. A steady rain that began in the early afternoon and lasted throughout the night took its toll on the track, leaving the turf course as yielding. This would lead to one scratch, but it would be the horse that we predicted would be the one to beat, in High Planker.

5/29/21   1    BEL The Pennie Ridge (GII) $200.000 3yo 1 1/8m InTurf 122lbs +penalties We go to the BEL inner turf for The Pennie Ridge (GII), a mile and an eighth grass route for the sophomore sod monsters… Read More ›

For three year olds, the horses that are getting all of the attention right now will run on the main track. Under the radar just a little bit are a group of excellent turf horses also looking for some recognition. We don’t know their names quite as well yet, but we’ll get a chance to enjoy them running in the Grade 2 PEN Mile, for a $300.000 Purse.

About six weeks ago, Mb Stables paid $500.000 for Drink Me Pretty, and so far the results have been quite positive. The filly finished third a week after the sale in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom, and on Saturday, she would add to that by capturing the Grade 2 Santa Maria at SA for her fifth career win.

There won’t be many running in the Santa Maria Stakes on Saturday, as only five head to the starting gate for the 16th running of this Grade 2 event, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t have a great race. When the race first appeared on the calendar in 2005, it was a Grade 1, and it would stay that way for five years before being downgraded just a bit.