Following a three-race win streak at Gulfstream Park over the winter, Gary Barber’s Mi Bago appeared to be the hottest 3-year-old in the turf division. However, the Vekoma colt failed to capitalize on his Florida form in his two Kentucky outings, finishing 10th in Keeneland’s Transylvania Stakes (G2T) and fourth in the American Turf Classic (G1T) at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.
Cutting back in trip and facing softer competition, the Mark Casse trainee looks on the right path back to the winner’s circle in the $400,000 Penn Mile (G3T) May 30 at Penn National Race Course.
Mi Bago’s most recent effort in the 1 1/16-mile American Turf Classic resulted in the colt’s highest Equibase Speed Figure to date, a 103, despite the loss. Paving the way early under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., he was caught in the final sixteenth, beaten only 1 3/4 lengths behind the victorious Zulu Kingdom .
Ortiz retains the mount on Mi Bago, the 5-2 morning line favorite, in Friday evening’s Penn Mile, where the front-running colt is drawn wide in post 11.
Since the Penn Mile’s inception in 2003, Casse has won the race twice, with the brilliant filly Catch a Glimpse in 2016, and with Moon Colony in 2019.
Irad Ortiz Jr.—one of numerous high-profile jockeys in town to ride at Penn National Friday evening—has the mount on the favorite
One of the Penn Mile entries, the Wesley Ward-trained Clock Tower , is unlikely to contest the race after recently going gate-to-wire to win last Saturday’s Paradise Creek Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. Ward indicated after the Paradise Creek that Clock Tower would train toward a possible start overseas at Royal Ascot.
Two others that could give Mi Bago a run for his money include the Jorge Abreu-trained Smooth Breeze , a handy winner of a state-bred allowance race in New York April 27, and last year’s Skidmore Stakes winner Out on Bail , who stretches out to a mile after competing in turf sprints for trainer Mike Maker.
Candy Quest, Bessie Abbott Top Penn Oaks Field
While Casse’s top turf 3-year-old filly Nitrogen awaits a start at the prestigious Saratoga meet, the trainer sends out two up-and-coming runners in Candy Quest and Bessie Abbott in the $150,000 Penn Oaks.
Glassman Racing’s Candy Quest, the narrow 3-1 morning line favorite in the field of nine in the mile grass race, eyes her first black-type victory after coming up a half-length short at the wire in the Sanibel Stakes March 29 at Gulfstream Park and fourth in the April 27 Memories of Silver Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. The latter race was run over a “good” turf course, perhaps too soft for her liking.
Casse also starts the Irish-bred Bessie Abbott, who was a troubled second in her North American debut in an April 12 Keeneland allowance contest.
Impressive recent maiden winners Love You Anyway , shipping in from Rusty Arnold’s Kentucky barn, and Chad Brown trainees Midway Memories and Accent make the step up to stakes company on Friday night.
