2014 Maryland-Bred Champions Ben's
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Maryland Horse March 2015 Official publication of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association; Vol. 80, No. 3 2014 Maryland-bred Champions Horse of the Year MARYLAND HORSE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION INC. Older Male • Sprinter • Turf Runner 30 East Padonia Road Timonium, MD 21093 P.O. Box 427 Timonium, MD 21094 Ben’s Cat 410-252-2100 Fax 410-560-0503 Dk.b./br.g., 2006, Parker’s Storm Cat—Twofox, by Thirty Eight Paces. www.marylandthoroughbred.com Bred by K.T. Leatherbury Associates; owned by The Jim Stable; trained by King Leatherbury. Foaled at Northview Stallion Station, Chesapeake City. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joseph P. Pons Jr. President Donald H. Barr 1 Vice-president John C. Davison Secretary-treasurer Cricket Goodall Executive director Richard F. Blue Jr., John W. Boniface Jr., R. Thomas Bowman*, Rebecca B. Davis, David DiPietro, Michael J. Harrison, R. Larry Johnson, Edwin W. Merryman, Wayne L. Morris*, Suzanne Moscarelli, Tom Mullikin, Lawrence Murray, William S. Reightler Jr., Robert B. White *president appointed Directors Emeritus (served 18 years) J. William Boniface, R. Thomas Bowman, King T. Leatherbury, Donald P. Litz Jr., Robert T. Manfuso, Ann Merryman, Michael Pons, Katharine M. Voss Advisory Council (past MHBA presidents) J. William Boniface, William K. Boniface, Frank A. Bonsal, R. Thomas Bowman, William G. Christmas, Hal C.B. Clagett III, Kimball C. Firestone, King T. Leatherbury, Dr. Robert Leonard, J.W.Y. Martin Jr., Michael Pons, James B. Steele Jr., Katharine M. Voss Jim McCue Even after his easy maiden next two stakes wins. Togeth- jockey was given an opportu- hands not long after Anita en special weight and the Seli- On a Wednesday after- victory, Ben’s Cat returned a er, they took the Maryland nity to ride Ben’s Cat for the sent the final training invoice. ma Stakes – in a 21-day span in noon in February, Julian Pi- month later at Delaware Park Million Turf Sprint and Find first of what would be three “We just washed every- September at Laurel before re- mentel picked up the phone for a $25,000 tag, up slightly Handicaps, and then followed straight wins in the Parx Dash turning to the main track. She and was immediately asked to thing out in exchange for the from the $20,000 he’d been up with another allowance Handicap-G3, it was like be- mare,” Graham said. “It was was eighth in the Maryland recall a moment that had hap- available for in his debut. score that moved Ben’s Cat’s ing reunited with a lost love. Million Lassie after unchar- pened some 1,731 days prior. a very generous arrange- With Pimentel aboard, the record to 8-for-8. Pimentel “It was exciting,” Pimentel ment for us, as long as the acteristically battling for the The question was about Maryland-bred son of Park- grew increasingly fond of the said. “I was very happy when filly turned out to be a decent early lead but bounced back a horse and a race – a maid- er’s Storm Cat made it two in gelding in subsequent months. they asked me if I wanted to broodmare, but you never to win the Donna Freyer and en claiming race, at that – just a row. Next out, Ben’s Cat won Ben’s Cat became more man- ride the horse back. He’s the know. Certainly that seems to finish second in the Maryland one of 8,691 races Pimentel again, and then again. ageable in the morning, but he best horse I ever rode.” be the case. For us, we were Juvenile Filly Championship had ridden to that moment. “After a couple of more did start something he hadn’t Pimentel’s affection for very fond of the mare anyway to end the season. Yet, without hesitation, the races, you started to see his done before – losing. Ben’s Cat still runs as deep, if so it’s just something that’s 35-year-old jockey from Co- The mating that produced ability,” Pimentel said. “He After a fifth in the 1-mile not deeper, as it did then. For been fun for us.” lombia remembered where was running and he was win- Native Dancer Stakes in 2011 22 consecutive races, Pimen- Miss Bullistic has Motion’s he was, who his mount was Miss Lombardi won eight stamp all over it. He also ning easy. He was putting in was followed by a fourth in tel has been aboard Ben’s Cat. of 27 starts from 2005-09 – three and what unfolded on May 8, some good times, too.” the 7-furlong General George Over that stretch, they won 13 trained Bullsbay, a near mil- of 10 with J.W. Delozier III be- lionaire who won the 2009 2010. Despite that, Pimentel opt- Handicap-G2, Pimentel de- stakes races while racking up fore Motion took the controls Whit ney Handicap-G1 at The location was Pimlico ed off when Ben’s Cat made cided to express his thoughts hundreds of thousands of dol- in December 2006. In addition Saratoga. Miss Bullistic is the Race Course and the mount his stakes debut in the 2010 on why Ben’s Cat lost his win- lars in purse money. to her Maryland Million win, second of four foals produced was a then-unknown 4-year- Mister Diz. Pimentel already ning kick. Ben’s Cat’s earnings stand old gelding making his racing Miss Lombardi finished third by Miss Lombardi, the first a had a commitment in the race “He’s a great horse going 5, at $2,320,990. A healthy chunk in the All Brandy Stakes. Both 1 winning Cowboy Cal geld- debut. The gelding’s name to a Mike Trombetta-trained 5 ⁄2 furlongs or three-quarters – $458,350 – was earned in races were on the grass. ing named Mount Coronet Jim McCue was Ben’s Cat. colt Not for Silver. on any surface. Just going a 2014 as an 8-year-old. When Miss Bullistic showed af- also trained by Smith, and the The fourth was born in Motion said Miss Lombar- “It was a short field,” Pi- Pimentel and his charge little longer is what gets him,” asked whether he had a fa- finity for the turf after losses third a now 2-year-old filly by late January, the first North- di would be bred back to the mentel said. “I went to the finished fourth while Ben’s Pimentel said. “I was honest vorite memory or if he could in her first two starts sprinting Warrior’s Reward bred on a ern Hemisphere colt by the 2011 Kentucky Derby-G1 win- lead with him and won wire- Cat won from off the pace and told [Leatherbury and identify one race that stood, to-wire.” on the dirt at Delaware Park. foal share with John Price and Motion-trained Animal King- ner this season. with Rosemary Homeister Jr. his team] that I was looking Pimentel said he couldn’t. 1 She won two races going 5 ⁄2 sold for $62,000 as a weanling dom, at Hidden Brook Farm – Tom Law What stood out most to Pi- Ben’s Cat went on to win the out for the best interest of the To him, the entire body of furlongs on the grass – a maid- in 2013. in Kentucky. mentel, in retrospect, was that Mister Diz four more times, horse. They didn’t like that, I Ben’s Cat’s work – from that nothing really stood out about including the 2014 edition that guess, and they took me off.” maiden breaker to his third Ben’s Cat. The gelding, bred kicked off his Maryland-bred Pimentel recalls the in- consecutive win in the Fabu- and trained by King Leather- Horse of the Year and cham- cident with a light-hearted lous Strike Handicap to finish 2 bury and owned by the train- pion older male, turf horse laugh, implying that it was 2014 – is simply astounding. Two-Year-Old Male 3 er’s The Jim Stable, hadn’t and sprinter campaign. The funny in a frustrating kind of And Pimentel is just grateful made a significant impression awards bring Ben’s Cat’s ca- way. Deep down, it was more he’s been along for most of the on the betting public either, reer haul to 17 state champi- frustrating than funny. It espe- ride. Ghost Bay and was sent off at nearly 5-1. onships and four Horse of the cially stung to watch as other “It’s just unbelievable,” he Dk.b./br.c., 2012, Ghostzapper—Hope Bay, by Smart Strike. “He was nothing special in Year titles. riders, primarily Jeremy Rose, said. “That’s how good he is, Bred and owned by Howard Bender; trained by Larry Murray. the morning,” Pimentel said. Ben’s Cat was a rising star rode Ben’s Cat for the next you know. How special he is Foaled at Glade Valley Farms, Frederick. “He was very difficult and he in the sprint division by late year and a half. at that age to compete against didn’t really work that fast. So, 2010 and certainly a desirable Time cooled any tensions the younger horses. He’s just I don’t think they were expect- mount. Pimentel was hap- in the separation of Pimen- an unbelievable horse.” ing much from him that day.” py to be back aboard for his tel from Ben’s Cat. When the – Dan Tordjman Larry Murray figured was very good in the gate and he had a good read on Ghost I thought he’d fall out on top Bay well before the son and not look back.