PEN Mile (Grade 2)- $300.000 Purse
PEN- For Three Year Olds
One Mile on the Turf
May 28, 2021

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. That is a reduction from the $500.000 that it has run for every year that it has had a purse associated with it, and the jury might still be out as to how much that affected the field here. Last year, we saw Grandstand Jockey get the win for Night Rider Stables, in a field that also included Kimura and Personal Beliefs. That gelding now runs for John Henry and has struggled to pick up strong results recently. This year, the gate is full with eleven going to post. Let’s meet them!

#1- Uncle Buck (South Beach Racing, ridden by D E Centeno)- This gelding had a good two year old campaign and ended up finishing fourth in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint. We just haven’t heard from him since then, as he has only been in overnights this year. At the start of the month, he picked up his second career win at TAM, coming after several in the money finishes, so now it’s back to the level he has been absent from this year.

#2- Call Me King (Mb Stables, ridden by Ru Gonzalez)- The first of three that Mb Stables will bring to the gate as he looks to show that he is just as good with three year olds on the grass this year. Call Me King was a $100.010 auction purchase that has shown potential, but to this point only has his $75.000 Sullivan Stakes win, against three others, as a big win. Other victories have come in overnights, and he has been consistent.

#3- High Planker (Smokey Stover, ridden by T Gaffalione)- A win here could make him one to get excited about, since he looks to follow up a win last month at the Grade 3 SF Mile from GG. It was a win that earned him a 98 SRF, so if he brings that again, it will be tough on many of these. He’s been patiently brought along, and will make his sixth start, and they have all been a mile or a mile and a sixteenth on the grass. Works are strong, and this horse is not shy about getting out to the lead early. Plenty to like with High Planker, and he is the one to beat.

#4- Nevada Silver (Nakamura Stables, ridden by T J Pereira)- With this one, we will be seeing how much a geld helps. After being passed in the stretch in an allowance last month after leading, Nevada Silver was not able to go to sleep that evening before he underwent the snip. He’s being asked a lot now to step up at this level, but we have seen this pan out before, and that is what creates the confidence. This is the first ever stake for a horse with two wins in four starts.

#5- Dream State (Mb Stables, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- Surprisingly, this is the horse in the field who appeared in several KYD preps. After a good two year old campaign saw him finish 3rd in the BC Juvenile Turf, a couple of subpar starts after that led him to be moved to the main track. That did not go poorly, as he earned a check in all three races, including placing third in the Wood Memorial, and only missing victory by half a length. With other dirt stars in this barn, Dream State is back to the turf and should be a good threat here.

#6- Determined Commando (Estero Farms, ridden by D Davis)- Picked up in a $20.000 maiden claimer in October, Estero Farms moved this gelding to the turf, and the results have turned around. He broke his maiden immediately, then ran second in the Grade 3 Kittens Joy at the end of January. He has only made one start since then, one in which he finished seventh. Still has a little bit to prove at this level, but going long like he did in the Kittens Joy gives him his best shot.

#7- Andes (Arindel, ridden by J K Court)- I want to call him Anders, given he is out of Great Islander, but we have to stick with Andes, it seems. Like the Islander captain, Andes, has been successful in his career thus far, with two wins in his six starts and the includes winning the $100.000 Cutler Bay at GP in late March. Unfortunately, he came out flat in the American Turf last month, and he will need to make amends for that. It’s early to say this, but he might be showing some signs of being an inconsistent horse.

#8- Day Of The Dragon (John Henry, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- This is another horse that ran in the Kittens Joy at the end of January, and for Day Of The Dragon, that resulted in a fourth place finish. That can give hope, but for the moment the best that can be said about this gelding is that he has been productive in overnights. Picked up his second career win in his last start, on yielding turf at SA. Left the west coast with a good work before coming here.

#9- Found Peace (Mb Stables, ridden by E Jaramillo)- Here is the third of those that Mb Stables brings to the gate, and Found Peace has been a consistent performer at this level. Late last year, he nearly became a BC Champion, but settled for second in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint, and he had no problem stretching out as this year started. Pulled off back to back wins in the ungraded Palm Beach and the Grade 3 Transylvania before running second in the American Turf last month. Expect him to be near the front on Friday.

#10- Promised Prince (John Henry, ridden by S R Bahen)- The gelding by Black Mach One has won three of his eleven starts thus far, but has a much better percentage when looking at the grass only, as it improves to three out of five. A couple stake attempts have seen him fall short, but he did earn a win in his last start, an allowance at CD. Must be at his best to have a shot in this one.

#11- Religion (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J Lezcano)- On the outside, this Fox News gelding has had his chance in some very good stakes, including the Grade 1 Summer Stakes at WO as a two year old, but as is the case with a few of these, his best performances are in overnights. I like the way that he won his last race, an allowance at SA, and think that SRF is a little low. Won’t be one of the top choices on paper, but can grab a piece of this if others slip up.

Prediction: 3-9-6-5

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES