Charming Kitten highlights Penn Mile field

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Grantville, PA (Sports Network) - Eight grass running 3-year-olds have been entered in the brand new $500,000 Penn Mile Stakes at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. The Saturday stakes will go off at 7:26 p.m. (ET).

Topping the field is Charming Kitten, ninth in the Kentucky Derby, and one of two in the race from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher. The colt will be joined by stablemate Jack Milton.

Owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, Charming Kitten will start from the outside post with jockey Joel Rosario who won this year's Run for the Roses aboard Orb.

Charming Kitten has been in the money in all five starts on the turf, including a win on Jan. 20 at Gulfstream Park in the Kitten's Joy Stakes, a race named for the 3-year-old's sire.

Following his Kitten's Joy victory, the colt was second in the Palm Beach on the turf with a third in the Blue Grass Stakes and ninth in the Run for the Roses.

Charming Kitten has won two of eight career starts and $257,000.

Jack Milton, owned by Gary Barber, will be ridden by Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez from post 6. The colt will be making his first start since winning the Transylvania Stakes on the grass at Keeneland on April 5.

"He's been a horse that's shown talent on the grass. He's improved a lot since his first and second starts," said Pletcher assistant Whit Beckman after the Transylvania.

Jack Milton has banked $93,900 in three starts with two wins.

Breaking from the rail will be Noble Tune and jockey Javier Castellano. The colt is owned by Martin Schwartz and Dell Ridge Farm, and trained by Chad Brown.

Noble Tune won the American Turf Stakes on May 3 at Churchill Downs as the 3-2 favorite versus 10 rivals.

"I don't want to run him anywhere but on the turf. No dirt. As long as he's with me, he'll stay on grass," Brown said following the victory in Louisville.

As a 2-year-old, Noble Tune won the Pilgrim Stakes at Belmont Park and was second as the 7-2 favorite in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita. With four wins in five starts, the colt has earned $473,422.

Here is the field for the Penn Mile in post position order: Noble Tune, Javier Castellano; Pitch N Roll, Huber Villa-Gomez; Yougotthatgoinforu, Emilio Flores; Are You Kidding Me, Luis Saez; Triple Cross, Mario Pino; Jack Milton, John Velazquez; Rydilluc, Edgar Prado and Charming Kitten, Joel Rosario.