Ben's Cat eyes sixth straight Mister Diz win

Laurel Park has scheduled Maryland Pride Day on Aug. 22, closing weekend of its summer meet. The card will consist of races for Maryland-sired or -bred horses. There will be four $50,000 stakes – two turf sprints and two 1 1/8-mile turf races.

The turf sprints are the Mister Diz, for 3-year-olds and up at 5 1/2 furlongs, and the Jameela, for fillies and mares at six furlongs. The route races are the Find Stakes, for 3-year-olds and up, and the All Brandy Stakes, for fillies and mares. The stakes are Win and You’re In races for Maryland Million Day on Oct. 17. The Pride Day winners will be awarded fees-paid berths into the Maryland Million races.

The stars of Maryland Pride Day will be trainer King Leatherbury and his 9-year-old Mid-Atlantic legend Ben’s Cat. Leatherbury, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame last week at Saratoga, will be honored during the card, and Ben’s Cat will attempt to win the Mister Diz for the sixth straight year.

Ben’s Cat finished an uncharacteristic sixth last time out in the Grade 3 Parx Dash on July 11. Leatherbury said he originally was “very disappointed” with the race, but after he watched the replay again, “it really wasn’t that bad,” he said.

“He was very sluggish down the backside, but he was closing and only got beat 2 1/2 lengths,” Leatherbury said.

Ben’s Cat has worked twice since the Parx Dash and is doing well, according to Leatherbury.

“We’re going to run him on the 22nd and then come back in the Turf Monster,” he said.

The Grade 3, $300,000 Turf Monster will be run at Parx on Sept. 7.