The season’s biggest night of racing at Penn National returns Friday with the 11th running of the Penn Mile. Past winners include future Breeders’ Cup champion Bobby’s Kitten, star filly Catch a Glimpse and last year’s victor Major Dude for Todd Pletcher and Irad Ortiz Jr. The big names are back with jockeys Frankie Dettori, Flavien Prat, Javier Castellano and Umberto Rispoli among the pilots scheduled to appear. Steve Asmussen, Mark Casse and Graham Motion are among the trainers sending horses to central PA.
Let’s meet the contenders for the Grade 2 Penn Mile (Race 6), which anchors an all-turf stakes pick 4:
#1-ASPENITE: Wire-to-wire winner of the Kentucky Downs Juvenile in September over this trip. Trainer Steve Asmussen stretches the Constitution colt out after 4 turf sprints and removes blinkers after a failed, one-race experiment in Churchill’s William Walker. Leading Oaklawn jockey Cristian Torres, who piloted him at KD last year to victory, rides.
#2-GOOD LORD LORRIE: Unbeaten son of Hard Spun seeks a third straight victory and exits Aqueduct’s 1-mile Woodhaven Stakes. Flavien Prat, who will ride likely Belmont Stakes favorite Sierra Leone the following week, returns in the saddle for suspended trainer George Weaver. Peter Gulyas will be the trainer of record.
#3-TOPANDHAGEN: Co-longest price in the morning line at 30-1 makes his first start of 2024 for locally based trainer Dimitrios Synnefias. Opened big early leads in the Laurel Futurity and Aqueduct’s Awad Stakes last season before folding and expected to be part of the pace while freshened.
#4-FIRST WORLD WAR: Grade 3 Kitten’s Joy Stakes winner at Gulfstream Park lures acclaimed jockey Frankie Dettori for the first time. Rough trip in Keeneland’s Transylvania last out dirtied otherwise consistent form that included checks in the Bourbon and Mucho Macho Man Stakes. Should vie for favoritism.
#5-DANCING GROOM: Longshot has missed the board in 5 straight stakes since finishing third in the Grade 1 Champagne in October over a wet dirt track. Only career turf bid came when sixth last out in Gulfstream’s English Channel against a couple of Penn Mile re-matched rivals. Jockey Luca Panici makes the trip from Florida for Antonio Sano.
#6-PLEASE ADVISE: Aqueduct’s Atlantic Beach Stakes winner has picked up minor checks in 4 other stakes from NJ, KY, FL and Canada. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano seeks a second Penn Mile victory (2014 Bobby’s Kitten). One of 2 George Weaver trainees entered who will be under the tutelage of Peter Gulyas while the boss serves a suspension.
#7-SET: Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse aims for his third Penn Mile score (2016 Catch a Glimpse, 2019 Moon Colony). Set won Gulfstream’s Cutler Bay Stakes in his second start to advance to 2-for-2, but was eliminated at the start of Churchill’s Grade 2 American Turf on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs. Emisael Jaramillo guided him to both Gulfstream victories and reunites.
#8-FREEDOM PRINCIPLE: Two-time stakes winner on Tapeta and turf in Florida, he’ll look to add to his 21-1 upset of the English Channel Stakes earlier this month. Jockey Miguel Vasquez found success aboard him for the first time at Gulfstream and makes the road trip for Jose Garoffalo. Late runner will appreciate a fast pace if offered.
#9-I KNOW MAP: Co-longest shot in the morning line at 30-1, trainer Michael Salvaggio Jr. swings for his home track’s biggest purse with this dirt performer. He’s won 2 of 3 local dirt sprints, but was overmatched in his only stakes try when venturing to Laurel for the Private Terms. Son of Street Boss possesses dirt sprint pedigree to match his past performances.
#10-TRIKARI: The 3-1 morning line favorite exits a 47-1 stunner in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs (pictured above) and seeks a third straight stakes victory. Public didn’t respect his prior win in Turfway’s Rushaway Stakes on Tapeta, but this son of Oscar Performance won’t sneak up on anyone this time. Graham Motion trainee goes from a rail draw and inside trip to a potential ground-loss situation here from the 10-hole. SoCal based jockey Umberto Rispoli rode him to both Kentucky victories and makes another venture east.
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