Richard’s Boy comes back quickly

Trainer Peter Miller is striking while the iron is hot with Richard’s Boy, who will return in the $200,000 Governor’s Cup at Penn National on Saturday two weeks after he won the Jim McKay Turf Sprint at Pimlico on the Black-Eyed Susan card.

Miller brought Richard’s Boy back to his California base after the McKay, evaluated him, and liked what he saw.

“We brought him home after Pimlico because I wanted to see the horse,” Miller said. “It’s a little quick back, but it seems like he’s doing very well.”

Richard’s Boy won the McKay from just off the pace after breaking from post 10. He drew post 2 for the Governor’s Cup, which may force jockey Paco Lopez’s hand. Both the McKay and Governor’s Cup are fivefurlong grass races.

“We’ve got to send from down there,” Miller said. “He doesn’t need the lead. He’s won from way back before. But we’ll need to get position.”

Richard’s Boy, a 5-year-old California-bred, is 9 for 22.

Rainbow Heir could give Richard’s Boy his sternest challenge. He bounced back from a subpar effort at Keeneland to win the off-the-turf Wolf Hill at Monmouth Park on May 13. Prior to his Kentucky trip, Rainbow Heir came flying to miss by a nose in the five-furlong Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint. A 7-year-old trained by Jason Servis, Rainbow Heir is 11 for 26.

A longshot to consider is Take Cover, trained by Alan Goldberg. He closed well while making his first start of the year in the McKay to finish fourth, beaten 1 1/2 lengths.

◗ The $200,000 Penn Oaks is carded as race 6 and begins an all-stakes pick four that includes the Governor’s Cup, Mountainview, and Penn Mile. A one-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies, the Penn Oaks has drawn a field of eight, with favoritism likely to go to either the Graham Motiontrained Party Boat or Adorable Miss, conditioned by Todd Pletcher.

Party Boat is coming off a onelength victory in the Memories of Silver Stakes at Aqueduct. She rallied from several lengths back in that 1 1/16-mile grass race and is now 4 for 8.

Adorable Miss is undefeated in two starts. She won a 7 1/2-furlong maiden race on turf at Gulfstream Park in January and then stretched out a furlong to take the Honey Ryder Stakes at Gulfstream on Kentucky Derby Day.

Maryland-based Feargal Lynch will ride for Motion. Javier Castellano will be astride Adorable Miss.

Noble Ready, trained by Christophe Clement, also is a top contender. She finished third, beaten 2 3/4 lengths, in the Honey Ryder while making her 3-yearold debut and has every right to take a step forward Saturday.

Noble Ready closed out her 2-year-old season by finishing second in the P.G. Johnson at Saratoga and third in the Chelsey Flower at Belmont Park.

“She is a very honest filly, and she is doing very well,” Clement said.

Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard for the Johnson and Chelsey Flower, has the mount.