The connections of Alpyland will look for a second straight Penn Mile Stakes (G3T) victory when the two-time stakes winner starts in the $400,000 test for 3-year-olds May 29 at Penn National Race Course.
A year ago owner D. J. Stable, trainer Mark Casse, and jockey Javier Castellano teamed to win the Penn Mile with Dream On. This year the same trio is back with Alpyland, who enters off a fourth-place finish in the American Turf Stakes (G1T) May 2 at Churchill Downs. Prior to that start the son of Vekoma had secured stakes wins in two of his past three starts, taking the Dania Beach Stakes Jan. 1 at Gulfstream Park and the Columbia Stakes March 7 at Tampa Bay Downs.
Alpyland has won four of his past six starts, all on turf.
Favored in Friday's race is another runner out of the American Turf in Legion Racing and Awestrike Racing's Honey Dutch, who earned his first grade 1 placing when third in that 1 1/16-mile test. Honey Dutch, listed at 2-1 on the morning-line, certainly is a consistent runner but the son of Knicks Go has struggled to secure victories. He has placed in his past five starts—all stakes—but has not won any of those races.
Immortalised is the field's lone runner entered off a stakes win. Trained by Brendan Walsh, the son of Romanised prevailed by a head in the Cutler Bay Stakes March 28 at Gulfstream. The field also includes Teddy's Rocket, fourth in last year's Summer Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine, who makes his second start of the year for trainer Miguel Clement.
Final Accord Aims for Penn Oaks
Friday's card of four stakes races also includes the $150,000 Penn Oaks for 3-year-old fillies going 1 mile on the turf where Casse will send out last year's Matron Stakes (G3T) winner Final Accord for owners Gary Barber and Peter Deutsch. After that 6-furlong sprint, Final Accord stretched out for the 1-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T), where she finished off the board.
The daughter of War of Will opened the season sprinting, finishing fourth in the April 30 Mamzelle Stakes (G3T) at Churchill. Castellano will be aboard Final Accord as well.
The morning-line favorite for the Penn Oaks is Bandiagara, who earned a win and stakes-placing in four juvenile starts in France last year. Trained by Clement for owners Madaket Stables, Kisber Racing, Bill Strauss, and West Point Thoroughbreds, the French-bred daughter of Zelzal will be making her North American debut as well as her first start since being purchased by Mandore International Agency for $299,430 at Arqana's The Arc Sale Oct. 4 at Saint-Cloud where she was consigned by BARATTI, agent.
