Penn Mile Stakes 2021 Entries: Annex and Outadore lead field of seven

The Grade II Penn Mile Stakes highlights the Friday evening card at Penn National and is the final race of four that opens up the card as part of an All-Stakes Pick-4. 

Post Positions have been drawn and a field of seven have been entered for this one-mile race over turf. Our editor has an overview of the runners and riders…

The Morning Line Odds suggest that this is a two-horse race but far from it. Outadore (#7) has been installed as the 8-5 favorite as the third-place finisher at the Grade I Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last November has been shipped in from Kentucky by trainer Wesley Ward. 

This son of Grade I winner Outwork showed everyone that he was a very classy horse when winning at the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Turf Sprint back in September of last year. He dabbled with dirt with a fifth place finish at the Remington Springboard Mile before winning last time out on the Tapeta at Turfway Park in the Animal Kingdom Stakes. Worthy favorite but the one question mark is distance - his only two defeats have been at a mile. 

Bill Mott sends out Annex (#3) who was highly thought of before a disappointing run at the American Turf on the Kentucky Derby under-card, where the son of Constitution wound up finishing 8th.

Looking back - our two guys had very differing views on him heading into that race. J.N. thought he would be tough to beat whereas Sean wanted no part of him despite being the Morning Line favorite that day. Sean was proved correct that day but this small step down in class may help him.

Chess’s Dream (#4) is an intriguing prospect for this race. He has looked decidedly better when limited to a mile. He topped out with a victory in the Grade III Kitten’s Joy at Gulfstream but has struggled to make an impact since then. 

If you are looking for some potential value then look no further than Laoban colt The King Cheek (#5). This dirt horse will be racing on turf for the first time but is coming off victory on the Preakness under-card where he beat Hozier in the Sir Barton Stakes. At 12-1 on the Morning Line - that seems awfully long for a horse coming off some recent success against a decent field - albeit one switching surfaces.

Gershwin, Original and Sibelius round out the field of seven.

Our turf-man will be here on Thursday to preview Friday’s action at Penn National - including handicapping this race so check back then and if you want to bet on the race - our Race Card is embedded below.