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.

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Penn Mile Returns In 2021; Race Scheduled For May 28 At Penn National

Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course announced today that the $300,000 Grade 2 Penn Mile and the $100,000 Penn Oaks will return again to the Grantville, Pennsylvania turf course after a one-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 shut down. The 2021 Penn Mile card will be contested on a Friday for the first time with the event slated for May 28.

“We are excited to once again offer the Penn Mile as it signals a return to normalcy,” said Eric Johnston, Director of Racing Operation for Penn National. “The race has quickly established itself on the national racing calendar by bringing the best horses, horsemen and jockeys to central Pennsylvania while also helping to establish some of the highest betting handles in Penn National history.”

The Penn Mile, first run in 2013, quickly achieved Grade 3 status in 2015 and was minted as a Grade 2 in 2017 by attracting notable Grade 1 winners such as Catch a Glimpse, Bobby's Kitten and Force the Pass. The 2019 edition of the Penn Mile produced the second largest betting handle in Penn National's 49 year history with the top five all-time wagering handles at Penn National Race Course all having occurred on the Penn Mile racing program.

“We are pleased with the success of the Penn Mile and appreciate the recognition it brings for our racing program, as a whole,” said Todd Mostoller, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania HBPA.

First Post for the day is scheduled for 6:00 P.M. EDT, with the Penn Oaks, also at one mile on the turf, being run at approximately 7:15 P.M. and the Penn Mile at 7:45 P.M.

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