Witty wins the Spectacular Bid Jan. 29, 2022, at Laurel Park (Maryland Jockey Club)
David Joseph/Maryland Jockey Club
BALTIMORE— Witty, a two-time filth stakes winner bred, owned and educated by Elizabeth Merryman that has run second in three consecutive turf stakes, seems to be to make a breakthrough in Saturday’s $75,000 Ben’s Cat at historic Pimlico Race Course.
The sixth operating of the Ben’s Cat, scheduled for five-furlongs on the grass, and fifteenth renewal of the $75,000 Shine Again for fillies and mares 3 and up which haven’t received an open sweepstakes sprinting six furlongs on the principle observe, are amongst six stakes value $650,000 in purses on an 11-race program headlined by the $200,000 Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup (G3).
Also scheduled for the grass is the $100,000 All Along for fillies and mares 3 and older going 1 1/8 miles, joined by two different six-furlong filth sprints – the $100,000 Lite the Fuse for 3-year-olds and up and $100,000 Weather Vane for 3-year-old fillies.
First race put up time is 12:25 p.m.
A gelded 4-year-old son of Great Notion, Maryland’s main sire for 5 consecutive years (2018-22), Witty started his profession within the fall of 2021 with one win from two begins for Merryman earlier than her son, McLane Hendriks, took over coaching. Witty rattled off victories within the 2021 Pennsylvania Nursery and 2022 Star de Naskra, the latter at Laurel Park, earlier than getting 4 months off forward of a seventh within the Penn Mile (G2), his grass debut.
Witty went again to the filth for six extra begins together with a win within the 2022 Stanton at Delaware Park and a second within the Jersey Shore at Monmouth Park, each sprinting six furlongs, till the choice was made to present turf one other strive.
“He always handled the dirt really well but we decided we should maybe give him a crack at turf with his pedigree and everything. He did seem to improve numbers-wise on turf,” Merryman mentioned. “I’m not sure there’s a huge difference between turf and dirt for him but he’s a great big horse and I was kind of hoping the turf would be a little easier on him and better for his longevity, so that’s one of the reasons for the swap.”
Out of the Congrats mare Zeezee Zoomzoom, Witty is a younger half-brother to 2022 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner Caravel, a $1.9 million earner additionally bred and previously owned and educated by Merryman. Back on grass, Witty overcame a sluggish begin to be second within the six-furlong Laurel Dash July 2, two lengths behind Fore Harp however 2 ½ forward of favored Mid Day Image.
Following one other belated begin, Witty got here inside a half-length of successful the 5 ½-furlong Wolf Hill July 22 at Monmouth after which fell a head shy as the favourite within the five-furlong Marshall Jenney Handicap Aug. 21 at Parx in his most recent effort.
“He’s really run super lately. He hit a bad spot on the turf at Parx and it kind of took a few strides to get his footing back, and probably cost him the race. Plus, he gave the winner quite a few pounds,” Merryman mentioned. “He goes out there every time and tries his hardest, and always rewards me with a big effort. He’s very honest. His only thing is he tends to break a little bit slow and come from off of it, so hopefully with the big field at Pimlico that’s going to work out going the five-eighths.”
Overall, Witty has completed first or second in 11 of 16 begins with 4 wins and $364,460 in purse earnings. Jockey Jevian Toledo will get the decision from Post 7 in a discipline of 10.
“He’s just a tough, cool horse that can do anything you ask him to, so we figured we’d switch gears and let him try the turf a few times,” Merryman mentioned. “Being a half to Caravel was a good enough reason in itself. She’s beaten the boys and is pretty spectacular. She’s been something else. His mother and all the siblings have much preferred turf. He’s in good form. With these kind of turf races, you just never know how the trip is going to work out.”
Trainer Michael Trombetta entered the pair of Matta and Sky’s Not Falling, each owned by R. Larry Johnson and R.D.M. Racing Stable. The 7-year-old Matta has positioned in three earlier turf dash stakes and was fourth, crushed lower than a size as the favourite within the 2021 Laurel Dash. He has two begins this yr, getting back from 5 months away to be fourth in a 5 ½-furlong dash Aug. 17 on the Colonial Downs turf.
Sky’s Not Falling, 5, has made eight consecutive begins at 7 ½ furlongs or longer since his half-length triumph in final fall’s 5 ½-furlong Maryland Million Turf Sprint. The Seville gelding has positioned in seven different stakes on grass and all-weather surfaces, ending third within the 1 1/8-mile Prince George’s County July 15 and most just lately sixth, crushed 3 ¼ lengths, within the 1 1/16-mile Find Aug. 19, each at Laurel.
Mint Meadows Farm and Donald Metzger’s B Determined received the 1 1/8-mile Maryland Million Starter Handicap in 2021 however has completed effectively in turf sprints with two wins, one second and one third in seven tries. The 6-year-old Artie Schiller gelding was third by a size, second by a nostril and a 1 ¼-length winner in his final three makes an attempt, the latter a 5 ½-furlong allowance July 15 at Laurel.
Boss Man J J, Commanding General, Golden G, Prince Pere, R B’s the Boss and Showtime Cat are additionally entered.
Bred, owned and educated by Hall of Fame horseman King Leatherbury, Ben’s Cat received 32 of 63 profession races, 26 stakes and greater than $2.6 million in purses from 2010 to 2017. A four-time Maryland-bred Horse of the Year, Ben’s Cat died July 18, 2017 of problems from colic surgical procedure.
