BEN’S CAT STAYS PERFECT WITH THRILLING VICTORY OVER BALTIMORE BOB IN FIND HANDICAP
LAUREL, MD. 10-30-10---The Jim Stable’s Ben’s Cat extended his unbeaten streak to seven with an exciting, head-bobbing victory in the $50,000 Find Handicap this afternoon at Laurel Park. Ben’s Cat beat Baltimore Bob by just a nose after nine furlongs over the good turf. It was the King Leatherbury trainee’s third straight stakes victory on the grass but his first win around two turns.
Julian Pimentel guided the 4-year-old to victory. The veteran rider has been aboard Ben’s Cat for six of his seven scores.
Longshot Scatter the Tak sped to the front in the Find, while Ben’s Cat sat in a good stalking position and Baltimore Bob raced at the back of the pack. Ben’s Cat moved three wide and after the leader into the far turn while Baltimore Bob launched a furious five-wide rally from the rear. At the top of the lane, they were shoulder-to-shoulder and remained that way to the finish line, with Ben’s Cat prevailing by the narrowest of margins.
“He was not even paying attention,” said Pimentel. “I don’t know how fast he can run because he does it so easy. When that other horse hooked me, he never gave up. When he puts it all together he is going to be a freak.”
Trainer King Leatherbury ranks third on the all-time win list with 6,308 career victories and has conditioned Grade 1 winners Catatonic and Taking Risks, 10-time stakes winner Ah Day and four Preakness starters. Ben’s Cat suffered a broken pelvis as a 2-year-old and did not make his first career start until five months ago. The son of Parker’s Storm Cat has won three turf stakes races at Laurel Park, capturing the Mister Diz (Aug. 21) and Maryland Million Turf Sprint (Oct. 2).
“We don’t know the potential,” said Leatherbury of his home-bred. “He hasn’t reached the point where we thought that was the best he could do. I have picked the easiest spots so far but they are going to run out so we’ll have to try some tougher spots. Sooner or later he is going to get beat and then we’ll see.”
Ben’s Cat completed the distance in 1:52.20 and paid $3.60. Today’s win boosted his career earnings to $179,460.
RUSSELL INJURES RIBS IN THIRD RACE SPILL
Sheldon Russell, who is involved in a tight race with Forest Boyce for leading rider during the Laurel Park fall meeting, suffered rib injuries and was taken to Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center in downtown Baltimore after being involved in a racing mishap during today’s second race.
Russell was aboard Like A Cat, who had to swerve to miss a fallen horse and sent his rider tumbling to the ground. Mean Louie Q had angled to the rail and broken down in front of Like A Cat as the horses rounded the far turn and the chestnut gelding had to be euthanized. His rider, Grant Whitacre, was able to avoid injury.
“There are no broken ribs and he’s in good spirits,” said Marty Leonard, Russell’s agent.
The 23-year-old’s promising career has been marred by injury since he was an apprentice rider. In October 2007, he fractured vertebrae during a spill and missed four months. A month into his comeback, in March 2008, he fractured vertebrae and suffered a broken wrist in a spill, missing another four months.
Russell has already established a career high in wins with 106 with two months remaining in the year. Boyce won a pair of races on the Saturday program and leads Russell 33-28 in the standings.
POST TIME CHANGE
Laurel Park will move its post time to 12:35 p.m. for the remainder of the 2010 calendar year, beginning next Saturday, Nov. 6. First post for the Nov. 3-4-5 cards remains 1:10 p.m. The fall stand ends Saturday, Dec. 18.
-mjc-
PHOTO CREDIT-Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club
Mike Gathagan
Vice President-Communications
Maryland Jockey Club
410-578-4461 (Pimlico)
301-470-5461 (Laurel Park)
240-876-7403 (Mobile)
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