Monongahela faces nine in off-the-turf Robellino Stakes

The $100,000 Robellino Stakes at Penn National on Saturday originally was scheduled for turf, but the track hasn't held a grass race since July 20 due to heavy rain in the region. It was announced Wednesday that entries would be taken the following day only for dirt.

A field of 10 was entered on Thursday for the Robellino. Seven of the horses seem suited by the surface change. Three look more comfortable on grass or synthetic.

Eric Johnston, the director of racing at Penn, said Grantville, Pa., received 14 inches of rain last week and another two inches the over past few days. The course is soggy, he said, and is taking its sweet time drying out. Johnston added that trainers were notified of the surface switch when they made their entries Thursday morning for the Robellino, a 1 1/16-mile race for Pennsylvania-breds.

Trainer Kelly Rubley supplemented Monongahela on Thursday, and he may very well be the horse to beat. Monongahela, a stretch-running 4-year-old bred and owned by Gunpowder Farms, turned in a strong effort to be second to Prince of Hempt in the Carl Hanford Memorial at Delaware Park on July 14.

Monongahela launched a strong, wide bid toward the leaders on the far turn of the 1 1/16-mile race, took a short lead from Prince of Hempt in upper stretch, but was turned back and beaten a half-length. The win was the fifth from six starts for Prince of Hempt, who on Tuesday was not his usual self, finishing fourth in a Parx allowance race.

Name Changer, who finished third, 2 3/4 lengths behind Monongahela, in the Hanford, returned last Sunday to win the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup.

Monongahela, who is 5 for 15, should get a good pace setup as there appears to be plenty of speed in the lineup. Dana Whitney will ride.

Grasshoppin should appreciate a return to dirt after finishing fourth in the Leematt over Tapeta at Presque Isle Downs and fifth over turf in the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup going five furlongs. Grasshoppin, trained by Claudio Gonzalez, won the seven-furlong Lyman Stakes at Parx over statebreds three starts ago.

Flashy Kyem was second-best when beaten a head in a third-level optional-claiming race at Parx on June 30 while making his first start since being transferred to trainer John Servis.

Mike Maker entered Fast and Accurate and Bern' James Bern, the second- and third-place finishers in the Leematt, but neither horse has made a main-track start in more than a year.

Jump Street Hero has made his last 14 starts on turf or synthetic tracks.