Quills Picks Winners – Friday 5/29 – Penn National Races 5 & 6

Today we take our annual visit to Penn National Race Course in Central Pennsylvania. This is their signature race card of the year as it is Penn Oaks and Penn Mile day in Grantsville, PA.

We will take a look at those two aforementioned races today. Both races are on the turf course going one mile. One thing you will notice is that these races are earlier in the card. Penn has insufficient or no lighting on the turf course, so the races are run earlier in the card to run under daylight conditions.

Let’s take a look at these two races on the grass today on Penn National’s biggest day of the year.

A field of seven fillies will take to the grass here in the Penn Oaks. Favored is the 6 Bandiagara (9/5 morning line). She races for the first time in North America after racing four times in France last year as a two-year-old. From what I can see in video from her previous races, she will sit and make one big late move.

The 5 Final Accord (5/2 ML) had to steady on the backstretch and then had traffic trouble in the stretch in the Grade 3 Mamzelle Stakes at Churchill Downs last month. She stretches out to a mile here this evening, which should not be an issue.

The 1 Vekoma View (4/1 ML) finished fourth in the Sanibel Island at the end of March, making a move to get fourth. Look for her to potentially close late in this race tonight.

The 4 Call On Me (5/1 ML) is cross entered into a stakes race tomorrow at Churchill Downs, but looks like she fits better here at Penn. She won’t be far off the pace and will look to take over by the time they reach deep stretch.

Joe’s Penn Mile Pick

It looks like Bandiagara is a mystery horse, and according to her trainer Miguel Clement, the filly is a bit of a mystery to him. I think we will need to see a race out of her in North America.

I’ll take Call On Me here. She looks like she could get the perfect trip and will get up late for the win. I’m calling this race 4-5-6-1 and my play is $20 to win on the 4.

Penn National Race 6 – Penn Mile (Grade 3)

Up next is the Penn Mile and the boys will race one mile on the grass here this evening for the signature race of the year at Penn. The 2 Baytown Dreamer (15/1 ML) is cross entered into a stakes race on Saturday at Churchill Downs, but there is no indication from what I could find where he would run.

The 6 Honey Dutch (2/1 ML) is favored. He wants to run on the lead and has done so since his maiden turf voyage in September 2025. He could be alone on the lead today but he does get caught late in races. But this is a step down in class today after running in the Grade 1 American Turf at Churchill on Derby Day, finishing third.

The 7 Alpyland (5/2 ML) also ran in the American Turf, finishing in fourth, right behind tonight’s favorite. He likes to stalk and should be not far from the morning line favorite around the Penn National turf course tonight.

The 5 Immortalised (4/1 ML) races for the first time since the end of March where he stalked the pace and got up just in time in the Cutler Bay at Gulfstream Park. He returns today looking to win his fourth race in a row in his first foray into graded stakes company.

The 4 Teddy’s Rocket (3/1 ML) finished fourth in the Woodhaven Stakes last month in New York. There are excuses here for this colt. There was rain and despite the program saying the turf was firm, it might have been softer than indicated. More importantly, he stumbled at the start of the race, his first since September. Look for an improved effort here with his second race back off of having the winter off.

Joe’s Penn Mile Pick

You have a horse here today in Honey Dutch who would go gate to wire in a race where only six other horses are entered. He’s always there at the end, but he seems to get caught late.

I’ll take Alpyland here this evening. He will have a perfect stalking trip and will get up late to get the win here this evening. I’m calling this race 7-6-4-5 and my play is $20 to win on the 7.

I’ll also go with a Penn Oaks/Derby double of 4 with 7 for $20 as well. Best of luck and I’ll see you in the winner’s circle!