The Ben's Cat Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in August at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. It is open to horses three years old and up and is raced on turf. For 2016, the distance is 6 furlongs. This race was formerly called the Mister Diz Stakes.

Ben's Cat Stakes
Restricted State-bred Stakes race
LocationLaurel Park Racecourse,
Laurel, Maryland,
United States
Inaugurated1983
Race typeThoroughbred - Flat racing
Websitewww.laurelpark.com
Race information
Distance6 furlongs
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationThree-year-olds & Up
WeightAssigned
Purse$60,000

The race honors Ben's Cat, Maryland's four-time Horse of the Year that won 32 races, 26 stakes and more than $2.6 million in purse earnings from 63 starts in an eight-year career from 2010 to 2017. Ben's Cat was bred, owned and trained by Hall of Fame inductee King Leatherbury. Ben's Cat died at the age of 11 in July 2017, less than a month following his retirement. Ben's Cat actually won the race that would be renamed in his honor an unheard of six times.

The race was formerly named in honor of Mister Diz, who was bred and owned by former Pimlico Race Course Vice-president Nathan Cohen. Mister Diz was named Maryland-bred champion for four consecutive years from 1968 to 1971. He was the Champion two-year-old, three-year-old and champion older horse twice. He was also named Champion turf horse twice. Mister Diz, a foal of 1966, came from modest origins. He was a gelding out of Panacean and earned $387,015 over eight seasons. Mister Diz was named for track employee Frank Rosenfeld, who was nicknamed Mister Diz. The flashy chestnut gelding with four high white stockings and a blaze won nine stakes races and placed in 16 others. He set track records at Laurel Park for 7 furlongs and Monmouth Park at 1+18 miles.[1]

Records

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Speed record:

  • 5.5 furlongs - 1:01.00 - Tommie's Star (2007)
  • 6 furlongs - 1:08.60 - My Problem (2000)
  • 5 furlongs - 0:56.00 - Elberton (2001)

Most wins by a horse

  • 6 - Ben's Cat (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Winners

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Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
Owner
Distance
Time
Purse
2019 Oldies But Goodies 4 Alex Cintron Michael J. Trombetta R. Larry Johnson 5.5 fur. 1:01.84 $75,000
2018 Sonny Inspired 7 Daniel Centeno Phil Schoenthal D Hatman Thoroughbreds 6 fur. 1:08.95 $75,000
2017 Phlash Phelps 6 Victor Carrasco Rodney Jenkins Hillwood Stable LLC (Ellen Charles) 6 fur. 1:08.40 $100,000
2016 John Jones 4 Luis Garcia Lacey Gaudet Matthew Schera 6 fur. 1:10.58 $100,000
2015 Ben's Cat 9 Julian Pimentel King T. Leatherbury The Jim Stable 5.5 fur. 1:02.97 $100,000
2014 Ben's Cat 8 Julian Pimentel King T. Leatherbury The Jim Stable 5.5 fur. 1:01.75 $125,000
2013 Ben's Cat 7 Julian Pimentel King T. Leatherbury The Jim Stable 5 fur. 0:57.74 $125,000
2012 Ben's Cat 6 Horacio Karamanos King T. Leatherbury The Jim Stable 5 fur. 0:57.26 $75,000
2011 Ben's Cat 5 Jeremy Rose King T. Leatherbury The Jim Stable 5 fur. 0:57.82 $75,000
2010 Ben's Cat 4 Rosemary Homeister King T. Leatherbury The Jim Stable 6 fur. 1:09.08 $70,000
2009 Heros Reward 7 Anna Napravnik Dale Capuano Rob Ry Farm (Bob Haynes) 5.5 fur. 1:02.62 $50,000
2008 Lycurgus 4 Josue Arce Scott A. Lake Toby Roth 5.5 fur. 1:03.98 $50,000
2007 Tommie's Star 4 Travis Dunkelberger Ben M. Feliciano Jr. Elaine C. Bassford 5.5 fur. 1:01.00 $50,000
2006 Procreate 8 Rosie Napravnik Michael J. Trombetta Thomas McClay 5 fur. 0:57.20 $75,000
2005 Yankee Wildcat 7 Enrique M. Jurado Timothy Tullock Jr. Virginia Wright 5 fur. 0:56.80 $50,000
2004 Yankee Wildcat 6 Enrique M. Jurado Timothy Tullock Jr. Virginia Wright 5 fur. 0:58.60 $75,000
2003 Ghostly Numbers 5 Rick Wilson Michael J. Trombetta Ghost Breeding 5.5 fur. 1:05.40 $50,000
2002 Ghostly Numbers 4 Mario Pino Michael J. Trombetta Ghost Breeding 5.5 fur. 1:03.00 $50,000
2001 Elberton 4 Alberto Delgado Luigi Gino C. Frank Hopkins 5 fur. 0:56.00 $75,000
2000 My Problem 4 Travis Dunkelberger Dale Capuano Russell E. Train 6 fur. 1:08.60 $60,000
1999 Smart Sunny 6 Shane Sellers Howard E. Wolfendale David H. Wade 5 fur. 0:58.60 $75,000
1998 Tyaskin 5 Omar Clinger Donald H. Barr Marshall E. Dowell 6 fur. 1:10.40 $60,000
1997 One More Power 4 Frank G. Douglas Lawrence E. Murray Sondra D. Bender 6 fur. 1:09.40 $60,000
1996 Goldminer's Dream 7 Edgar Prado Ann W. Merryman Dark Hollow Racing Partnership 6 fur. 1:10.00 $60,000
1995 Wise Dusty 4 Allen T. Stacy Wayne M. Bailey Adrian L. Merton 6 fur. 1:10.20 $60,000
1994 Higher Strata 4 Andrea Seefeldt Richard W. Small Donald E. Souder 6 fur. 1:10.60 $50,000
1993 No Race - No Race No Race No Race no race 0:00.00 no race
1992 North Carroll 3 Mike Luzzi Benjamin W. Perkins Jr. Richard D. Morris 6 fur. 1:11.00 $50,000
1991 Risk It 3 Joe Tocco Ronald A. Alfano Kenneth L. Brown 6 fur. 1:13.20 $60,000
1990 Fighting Notion 3 Alberto Delgado Nancy B. Heil Arlene E. Kushner 6 fur. 1:11.00 $60,000
1989 Northern Wolf 3 Clarence J. Ladner III Hank Allen Deep Silver Stable (John Meeks, Howard Hoffman, Alan Cahill) 6 fur. 1:11.40 $60,000
1988 Lord Maniac 3 Vincent Bracciale Jr. Mario Beneito Nadine A Becker 6 fur. 1:13.00 $55,000
1987 Prince Judex 3 Julie Krone n/a D. Raymond Wright 6 fur. 1:11.20 $50,000
1986 Polar Escapade 3 Mario Pino John H. Forbes Tom Giardalas 6 fur. 1:12.00 $45,000
1985 Prince Valid 6 Paul A. Nichol Jr. Dean Gaudet Israel Cohen 5 fur. 0:57.40 $30,000
1984 Knight of Armor 4 Paul A. Nichol Jr. n/a J. F. Edwards 5 fur. 0:58.20 $30,000
1983 Prince Valid 4 David Brynes Dean Gaudet Israel Cohen 5 fur. 0:57.80 $30,000

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Maryland Jockey Club, Media Guide, 2008, page 48