Ben's Cat bids for three-peat in Parx Dash

Maryland icon Ben's Cat, only fourth in the Grade 3 Jaipur in his first try

at Belmont Park June 7, aims to rebound on familiar territory in Saturday's

Grade 3, $200,000

Parx

Dash. The eight-year-old veteran has won the past two editions of the

five-furlong sprint on the Parx turf, where he set the course record of :54.96

in the 2012 running.

Bred, owned, and trained by a fellow legend in King Leatherbury, Ben's Cat is

less than $15,000 away from the $2 million mark in career earnings. He has

earned that bankroll by dominating the Mid-Atlantic scene with 21 career stakes

victories, four here at Parx. Aside from his status as the two-time defending

champion in the Parx Dash, he also won two straight renewals of the Grade 3 Turf

Monster Handicap at this course and distance in 2011-12.

Ben's Cat attempted a Turf Monster three-peat last September, but ended up a

rallying third to Stormofthecentury and Tightend Touchdown, both of whom he

meets again Saturday. Regular rider Julian Pimentel will be back aboard the

popular veteran, who had won three straight before his reverse at Belmont.

Tightend Touchdown rates as the 123-pound highweight, assigned one pound more

than Ben's Cat. Runner-up in both of his previous Parx appearances last year,

Tightend Touchdown was just run down by Ben's Cat in the Dash and by

Stormofthecentury in the Turf Monster. The Jason Servis charge capped his

breakout season with an excellent dead-heat second in the Breeders' Cup Turf

Sprint, succumbing only to the reigning champion Mizdirection.

Marchman has been a revelation this campaign for Bret Calhoun. The Sharp

Humor colt wired the Grade 3 Shakertown at Keeneland April 12 and pressed the

pace en route to a 1 1/2-length decision over Undrafted in the Twin Spires Turf

Sprint. A stumble at the start of the Jaipur might have been costly, for he was

outfinished by Undrafted and settled for second. The cutback from six to five

furlongs could suit him better. Robby Albarado will guide the speedy colt from

the far outside post 10.

Another son of Sharp Humor, Sharp Sensation, invades from Woodbine. The Reade

Baker gelding has already raided Pennsylvania successfully, capturing the June 9

Karl Boyes Memorial in a track-record 1:02.10 for 5 1/2 furlongs over Presque

Isle's Tapeta. Sharp Sensation has raced exclusively on synthetic surfaces so

far, though, and will try turf for the first time.

Bold Thunder led throughout in the Silks Run at Gulfstream back in February,

but the front runner was overhauled by Tightend Touchdown and Stormofthecentury

in the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup, and faces a task to reverse the form. He

will likely have company early, thanks to the rail-drawn Mongolian Saturday and

the mare Quality Lass, who was all heart to prevail in the June 8 Satin and Lace

at Presque Isle. Atlantic Seaboard and This Ain't No Bull have also flashed

speed versus lesser.