From the September 9 Thoroughbred Times:

Maryland-based King Leatherbury is the nation’s third-leading trainer of all time, with 6,325 victories at tracks all over the country in a career that spans nearly six decades.

One place the 78-year-old trainer has never started a horse, however, is the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

It appeared that Leatherbury finally would get that chance when his homebred Ben’s Cat charged home late to capture the $356,000 Turf Monster Handicap (G3) by a half-length on Monday at Parx Racing, which gave the five-year-old Parker’s Storm Cat Horse an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G2) as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series.

The problem? Leatherbury explained doesn’t have the $100,000 needed for entry fees and expenses: “Now, I just don’t have that kind of money. That would be like betting 100 grand on my horse. I just don’t usually have horses in that upper echelon, you know.”

But if there is anyone out there who would like to see this Maryland-bred make it to Churchill Downs on Nov. 5…Leatherbury would love to hear from you!

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WBAL Radio Scott Wykoff on Ben’s Cat & Leatherbury