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Annex Adds Blinkers for Penn Mile

'TDN Rising Star' Annex (Constitution), a disappointing eighth as the favorite in the GII American Turf S. at Churchill Downs May 1, adds blinkers for Friday evening's GII Penn Mile S. at Penn National. The chestnut was perfect in his previous three trips to the post, including narrow wins in the Palm Beach S. Feb. 27 and Cutler Bay S. Mar. 27.

The speedy Original (Quality Road) collected third in his previous two attempts in the GIII Kitten's Joy S. Jan. 30 and Woodhaven S. Apr. 17. He will be on the engine from his inside draw with Hall of Famer John Velazquez riding.

Chess's Dream (Jess's Dream), winner of the Kitten's Joy and third-place finisher in the Palm Beach, was seventh at 20-1 in the American Turf.

Trainer Wesley Ward told Daily Racing Form that 8-5 morning-line favorite and last term's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf third Outadore (Outwork) would be scratched in favor of Sunday's Paradise Creek S. at Belmont Park.

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Outadore Installed As Morning LIne Favorite For Friday’s Penn Mile

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course announced Monday that a field of seven horses has been entered for the eighth running of the $300,000 Penn Mile (G2) for 3-year-olds going one mile on the turf to be run on Friday, May 28.

Post time for the 11-race card is 6 P.M. EST with the Penn Mile set as the fourth race scheduled for approximately 7:45 P.M. as the final leg of an “All Stakes – All Turf Pick 4.” The Pick 4 will kick off with two $100,000 stakes for Pennsylvania-breds followed by the $100,000 Penn Oaks for 3-year-old fillies going one mile on the turf.

Also featured on the evening card is a mandatory payout of the Hollywood High 5 carryover in race 7 which currently stands at over $216,000 as of Friday, May 21

Breeze Easy, LLC's Outadore, trained by Wesley Ward, was installed as the 8-5 morning line favorite for the Penn Mile. A winner in his last race in the Animal Kingdom Stakes at Turfway Park on the synthetic surface, Outadore will switch back to the turf for Friday's featured race. Twice a winner on the turf as a two-year-old, Outadore also finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Keeneland last fall. Irad Ortiz, Jr., Eclipse Award winner as the top rider in North America for three consecutive years and winner of the 2017 Penn Mile aboard Frostmourne, is scheduled to ride.

Hall of Famer conditioner Bill Mott will saddle 9-5 morning line second choice Annex for owners LNJ Foxwoods and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners. A winner of his first three lifetime starts including the Cutlers Bay and Palm Beach stakes at Gulfstream Park earlier this year, Annex finished eighth, beaten only five and half lengths, as the favorite in the Grade 2 American Turf run at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby day race card. Jockey Junior Alvarado has the mount.

The Mike Maker trained Chess's Dream, owned by Michael Dubb, Steven Bouchey, Bethlehem Stables LLC and Chester A. Bishop, also last raced in the American Turf checking in seventh. Chess's Dream was victorious in the Kitten's Joy (G3) at Gulfstream Park in January and will be ridden by jockey Kendrick Carmouche on Friday.

Hall of Famer and recent Kentucky Derby winning jockey John Velazquez will be aboard Eric Fein's Original. Trained by John Terranova II, Original placed third in his last two starts – the Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct and the aforementioned Kitten's Joy won by Chess's Dream.

Rounding out the field is Godolphin, LLC's Gershwin, trained by Michael Stidham and ridden by Joe Bravo, J Park Racing, LLC and Delia Nash's Sibelius, trained by Jeremiah O'Dwyer and ridden by Sheldon Russell, and Kernan E Morris, Jr. and Jagger Inc.'s The King Cheek, trained by Jamie Ness and ridden by Jaime Rodriguez.

After only seven previous editions the Grade 2 Penn Mile has quickly become one of the top turf events of the year for the 3-year-old division earning Grade 3 status after just three runnings and moving up to Grade 2 status after just four renewals. In its short history, prior Penn Mile winners include Breeders' Cup champion Bobby's Kitten as well as Grade 1 winners Catch a Glimpse and Force the Pass in its short history.

The post Outadore Installed As Morning LIne Favorite For Friday’s Penn Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Chess’s Dream Takes Kitten’s Joy, Giving Sire Jess’s Dream First Stakes Winner

Michael Dubb, Steven Bouchey, Bethlehem Stables and Chester Bishop's Chess's Dream got a ground-saving trip under Tyler Gaffalione and slipped through an opening along the rail in mid-stretch to upset Saturday's $100,000 Kitten's Joy (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The ninth running of the Kitten's Joy for 3-year-olds going a mile on the grass was the first of five graded-stakes worth $600,000 in purses on a 12-race program highlighted by the $200,000 Holy Bull (G3), Gulfstream's next step for 3-year-olds on the road to the March 27 Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa (G1).

Fresh off his maiden triumph in a 7 ½-furlong turf sprint Dec. 13 at Gulfstream, Chess's Dream ($18.60) completed the distance in 1:35.18 over a firm course to become the first stakes winner for sire Jess's Dream, a son of Hall of Famers Curlin and Rachel Alexandra.

Based at Gulfstream with trainer by Mike Maker, Chess's Dream is also a half-brother to 2019 Kitten's Joy winner Casa Creed. He was cross-entered in Sunday's Texas Turf Mile at Sam Houston.

“It's very nice when you make the right decision. It's definitely a 50-50 proposition,” Dubb said. “I held my breath and made sure he'd be able to get through. He got through and he was much the best, so we're just over the moon.”

Flanked by 1-5 favorite Never Surprised, making his sophomore debut after going unbeaten at 2 capped by a victory in Aqueduct's Central Park, Chess's Dream settled in third as Original, a 12-1 long shot shipping in from New York, ran a quarter-mile in 23.30 seconds and a half in 47.54 pressed by Kentucky Pharoah, a winner of his last two starts over the same course and distance, including the Dania Beach Jan. 2.

Gaffalione stayed patient as he remained in striking position on the turn awaiting room, which materialized once the field straightened for home. Gaffalione sent Chess's Dream through and the Florida-bred colt sprinted clear to win by two lengths as Never Surprised emerged from a three-way photo finish with Original and Sigiloso for second. Kentucky Pharoah and It's a Gamble completed the order of finish.

“I knew there was going to be a lot of speed. It kind of surprised me when Johnny [Velazquez on Original] committed early, but I had the perfect position down on the fence. I was able to save ground,” Gaffalione said. “On the far turn, in looked like Johnny's horse was trying to get out a little bit on him. I didn't panic and a hole opened up and when I asked him he really accelerated. He's a long-striding colt. He'll just get better the longer he goes.”

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