Not spotted since turning in one of the greatest stretch rallies in recent history in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint last Nov. 1, Ken and Sarah Ramsey homebred Bobby's Kitten (Kitten's Joy) makes his belated 4-year-old debut in Sunday's GII Play the King S. at Woodbine. The seven-furlong heat serves as the main local prep for the GI Woodbine Mile Sept. 13.
Winner of the inaugural Penn Mile last May, Bobby's Kitten raced far too freely to see out the 10-furlong distance of the GI Belmont Derby and finished a distant eighth. Though he had things very much his own way in the GII Hall of Fame S. at the Spa in his next start, he was run down late and settled for second, then finished third, one spot behind Kaigun (Northern Afleet) after setting a modest pace in the Woodbine Mile. He was cutting back to the downhill 6 1/2 furlongs for the Turf Sprint, a well-known and profitable angle, and despite racing last of 14 with a quarter mile to race, bridged that 12-length gap with a final five-sixteenths of a mile in a mind-boggling :26.87 (per DRF Formulator) to prevail by a half-length.
One of the blue-collar success stories of 2014, Kaigun placed in three Grade Is, including a runner-up effort to two-time Horse of the Year Wise Dan (Wiseman's Ferry) in the Maker's 46 Mile. The chestnut, who looked like he was over the top when fourth as the favorite in the GII Arcadia S. at Santa Anita Jan. 31, got a freshening and gave a good account of himself when third to Stacked Deck (First Samurai) and Tower of Texas (Street Sense) in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance prep July 31.
Passion for Action (Speightstown) gets tested here and, as the rare 3-year-old in a race like this, is in receipt of 10 pounds from Bobby's Kitten. Last year's winner of the Cup and Saucer S. going a mile and a sixteenth over this course last October, the Ontario-bred was first off a November layoff when returning in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance July 25. Inside for the opening half-mile that day, he was unable to let down with a run when blocked in the lane, but finished very well once into the clear. It'll take a herculean effort to beat the heavies here, but he's a definite candidate for the bottom of the exotics.
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