Verifying, a two-time Grade 1 runner-up this year, tops a field of six 3-year-olds entered Saturday for the 15th running of the $250,000 Perryville (L) to be run Oct. 21.
Owned by the partnership of Westerberg Limited, Mrs. John Magnier, Jonathan Poulin, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor, Verifying enters the 7-furlong Perryville off a second-place finish in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial (G1) on Aug. 26 at Saratoga going 7 furlongs.
Trained by Brad Cox, Verifying finished second in the Toyota Blue Grass (G1) here this spring. Flavien Prat will have the mount in the Perryville and break from post position 1.
An intriguing invader from California for the Perryville is the undefeated Dr. Venkman.
Trained by Mark Glatt for the partnership of Dan Agnew, Clint Bunch, Mark Cohen and James Hailey, Dr. Venkman has been untested in two races at Del Mar with victories by a combined 10¾ lengths. John Velazquez has the Perryville mount and will break from post position 5. Dr. Venkman worked Saturday morning at Santa Anita going 6 furlongs in 1:12.60.
The field for the Perryville, with riders and weights from the rail out, is: Verifying (Prat, 120 pounds), Confidence Game (James Graham, 122), Post Time (Sheldon Russell, 118), Raise Cain (Luis Saez, 118), Dr. Venkman (Velazquez, 118), Loyal Company(Tyler Gaffalione, 118).