Parx Racing: Ben's Cat sharp for three-peat bid in Turf Monster

The good news for Ben’s Cat is that he is the two-time defending champion in the $350,000 Turf Monster at Parx Racing in suburban Philadelphia.

The very good news, as far as King Leatherbury is concerned, is that the 7-year-old gelding has never been better.

“I’ve been saying that his whole life,” a happy Leatherbury said early Saturday from his Maryland office. “Really, I have. I know it sounds like the same old stuff a trainer is supposed to say, but every year I bring him back, he just absolutely thrives. The boy who’s been getting on him for four years just said the other day, ‘Man, he is the best he’s ever been.’ It really is remarkable.”

Ben’s Cat, with his uncanny 22-for-33 career record and nearly $1.6 million bankroll, figures to be favored Monday as part of a full and outstanding field of 12 turf-sprint specialists in the 12th running of the Grade 3 Turf Monster, which goes at five furlongs. In 2011, Ben’s Cat won this race by a half-length with a searing rally from far back; in 2012, he won by a head from just off the pace.

“I’m kind of surprised so many entered this year,” said Leatherbury, the 80-year-old icon who also bred and owns Ben’s Cat. “But I guess that’s what such a big purse will do.”

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Ben’s Cat will have regular rider Julian Pimentel aboard when breaking from post 7 in the Turf Monster, which goes as the 10th of 12 Monday races and is set for 4:45 p.m. Eastern. He will spot the opposition 2 to 12 pounds when carrying 122 under the handicap conditions.

A three-peat will come very well-earned, as several of his rivals have emerged as top performers in this niche along the East Coast. Strong Impact (post 2, Alex Solis) was particularly sharp in recent back-to-back turf sprints at Saratoga, while Tightend Touchdown (post 6, Kendrick Carmouche) and Varsity (post 9, Joe Bravo) also step up with strong credentials.

Suns Out Guns Out going long

Dale Romans is hoping a new door is flung open Monday for a 4-year-old colt named Suns Out Guns Out, a grinding type who will stretch out to 1 1/2 miles on the main track in the Grade 3, $200,000 Greenwood Cup, a three-turn race designed as a prep toward the Nov. 1 Breeders’ Cup Marathon at Santa Anita.

“He acts like he’ll run all day,” Romans said. “It sure seems worth trying, especially for this big a purse. If he runs like we hope, that’d give us more options with him.”

Suns Out Guns Out, with Robby Albarado riding for West Point Thoroughbreds, was assigned the outside post in a field of seven older horses. The field also includes Pool Play, an earner of nearly $1.3 million, and Eldaafer, who has started in the last three runnings of the BC Marathon, most notably at Churchill Downs in 2010, when he won at 10-1.

“I guess the race could’ve come up tougher,” said Mark Casse, trainer of Pool Play. “Our horse isn’t in peak form, obviously, but maybe this will be the spot to wake him up.”

Turf Amazon draws deep cast

The filly-mare counterpart to the Turf Monster, the $200,000 Turf Amazon, shapes up as a similarly deep event. Eleven are entered, albeit with one of those, Sounds of the City, designated as “main track only.” Her Alan Goldberg-trained entrymate, Sensible Lady, is perhaps the most proven entity at this level, having won a contentious renewal of the The Very One on Preakness eve at Pimlico and a smaller turf-sprint stakes at Colonial Downs six weeks later.

Xavier Perez has the call on Sensible Lady, whose stalk-and-see running style should not be hindered by her outside draw. Her chief threats could come from Subtle, a rail-drawn filly making her stakes debut off two straight wins on the Saratoga turf; Too Clever by Half, a winner in 7 of her last 8 starts; and Silverette, in off a career-best effort in an overnight stakes at Saratoga.