Delaware Park: Ben’s Cat shifts to main track for Moscarelli Memorial

STANTON, Del. – Ben’s Cat, one of the top turf sprinters on the East Coast and winner of the Grade 3 Parx Dash in his last start, moves to the main track Saturday for the $50,000 Vincent Moscarelli Memorial Stakes at Delaware Park.

Julian Pimentel, Ben’s Cat’s regular rider, will be aboard at 123 pounds under the allowance conditions of the 5 1/2-furlong race that is named for one of Delaware Park’s more popular horsemen who raced here for more than 40 years.

Tomorrow’s Tale comes into the eight-horse Moscarelli having won his last two starts here over optional-claiming sprinters in quick times. He is equally weighted with Ben’s Cat and will be ridden by Angel Rodriguez. Mass Destruction, an eight-time winner who finished second in the Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth Park earlier this summer and who was fourth in a tough sprint at Saratoga last time out, is another top contender. He will carry 119 and have Forest Boyce aboard.

Ben’s Cat, a 7-year old gelding with 22 career wins, rallied from off the pace last time out in the Parx Dash to post a 1 1/4-length win in that five-furlong turf sprint. He has won four of his last five starts, including the Pimlico Turf Sprint and Mister Diz, also at Pimlico, and while he does move to dirt, he has eight main-track victories to his credit.

The Hunk, who was meeting top company sprinting last season before going to the sidelines in October, has been training well for Ben Perkins Jr. at Monmouth and deserves consideration.

Back Forty, a winner of 3 of 5 lifetime starts, won his last two races at Oaklawn Park. Back Forty will be making his first start since April but has been posting bullet workouts at Delaware in preparation for his return.

Service for Ten will make his first start since a troubled third in the John Campbell Handicap at Laurel in February. Cop a Tude won his last start at Penn National off a layoff.