2026 PENN Mile Preview: Casse, Castellano and a Star-Studded Field at Penn National
Everything you need to know about the Grade 3 $400,000 PENN Mile at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course — field, form, picks and how to bet.
What Is the 2026 PENN Mile?
The PENN Mile is one of the standout fixtures on the Pennsylvania racing calendar — a Grade 3 stakes race run over one mile on the turf at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course in Grantville, Pennsylvania. Restricted to three-year-olds and carrying a purse of $400,000, it is the headline event of the biggest night of racing of the year at Penn National.
The 2026 PENN Mile goes to post on Friday, May 29. First race post is 5:00pm ET, with the PENN Mile itself scheduled as race 6 at approximately 7:55pm ET on a 10-race card. It sits at the heart of an outstanding all-turf stakes programme that makes for one of the most compelling evenings of racing in the mid-Atlantic region.
Alongside the PENN Mile, the card features the $150,000 PENN Oaks, the $75,000 Alphabet Soup Handicap and the $75,000 Lyphard Stakes — all run on Penn National's renowned turf course. A special 50-cent All-Turf Stakes Pick 4 links all four turf stakes beginning in race 3, giving bettors an outstanding sequence to get stuck into across the whole evening.
The 2026 renewal has attracted some of the biggest names in American racing, both in the saddle and on the training side. Double Hall of Famer Mark Casse, jockey Javier Castellano, John Velazquez, Tyler Gaffalione and Manuel Franco are all set to compete — a rider lineup that would grace any Grade 1 on the calendar.
Four horses dominate the early betting for the 2026 PENN Mile, headed by Kentucky-based morning line favourite Honey Dutch. Here is the full field at a glance, with morning line odds in US moneyline format, trainers and jockeys.
| Horse | Morning Line | Trainer | Jockey | Key Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honey Dutch | +200 | Whit Beckman | Tyler Gaffalione | 3rd Gr.1 American Turf (Churchill Downs); 6/6 ITM on turf lifetime; $379k earned |
| Alpyland | +250 | Mark Casse | Javier Castellano | Won Dania Beach Stks (Gulfstream); 2 lengths behind Honey Dutch in American Turf; 4 wins from 9 starts |
| Teddy's Rocket | +300 | Miguel Clement | Manuel Franco | Maiden win at Saratoga; all 3 career starts on turf; lightly raced and unexposed |
| Immortalised | +400 | Brendan Walsh | John Velazquez | 3-race winning streak; last won Cutler Bay Stks (Gulfstream, March 28); French-bred |
Honey Dutch opens at +200, with Alpyland the second choice at +250. Teddy's Rocket is the 3-1 third choice at +300, while Immortalised is available at +400. We break down the form and chances of each contender in detail below.
2026 PENN Mile: Full Contender Profiles
Honey Dutch (+200) — Morning Line Favourite
Honey Dutch is the horse to beat in the 2026 PENN Mile, and the morning line reflects it. Trained by Whit Beckman out of his Kentucky base and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, the Knicks Go colt arrives in the form of his life, having finished in the money in five straight stakes races.
His most recent effort came in the Grade 1 American Turf on Derby Day at Churchill Downs, where he finished third — a performance that underlines his class at the top level of three-year-old turf racing. What makes the form particularly compelling is his consistency on the grass: Honey Dutch is 6 for 6 in the money on the turf lifetime, and has earned $379,000 from his nine career starts.
Beckman has been one of the stories of the 2026 spring season as trainer of Ocelli, the longshot who finished third in the Kentucky Derby. A trainer in his best form, riding his best horse on its preferred surface — Honey Dutch deserves his favourite's tag.
Alpyland (+250) — The Dangers Is Clear
Alpyland is trained by Double Hall of Famer Mark Casse and ridden by Javier Castellano — the most decorated trainer-jockey combination in the history of this race — and arrives with form that makes him a genuine favourite-beater.
The three-year-old Vekoma gelding finished just over two lengths behind Honey Dutch in the Grade 1 American Turf at Churchill Downs, but crucially beat that rival on New Year's Day at Gulfstream Park in the Dania Beach Stakes. The form between the two horses is tight and points in different directions depending which race you favour — which is exactly what makes this rematch so intriguing.
Alpyland has won four of his nine lifetime starts, with three of those victories coming on the turf. Casse has won the PENN Mile three times — no other trainer has won it more than once — and Castellano has won the race twice. Castellano lines up in his record seventh PENN Mile appearance, equalling Irad Ortiz Jr. with two wins in the event. The combination is simply without parallel in this race's history.
Teddy's Rocket (+300) — The Unexposed Danger
Teddy's Rocket represents the most interesting each-way proposition in the 2026 PENN Mile field. Trained by Miguel Clement and ridden by Manuel Franco, the 3-1 third choice is as lightly raced as any horse in the field, with all three of his career starts coming on the turf.
He announced himself with a maiden win at Saratoga last summer — the most prestigious venue in the American domestic calendar — and has been pointed at the PENN Mile as the next step up. There is plenty unknown about him, but the raw ability is clearly there, and a horse from the turf-rich Clement barn making his stakes debut at a track that suits could easily outrun his odds.
The family connection adds another layer of interest. Clement's late father Christophe won the 2017 PENN Mile with Frostmourne — this would be a deeply personal victory for a trainer with every reason to make it count.
Franco himself won the 2018 PENN Mile aboard Hawkish, so both trainer and jockey know exactly what it takes to win this race.
Immortalised (+400) — Trainer Angel in Play
Immortalised arrives at the 2026 PENN Mile on the back of a three-race winning streak — the kind of momentum that demands respect, whatever the odds. The French-bred's most recent win came on March 28 in the Cutler Bay Stakes at Gulfstream Park, and he has been training well since.
The angle that makes Immortalised genuinely dangerous is his trainer. Brendan Walsh won the 2024 PENN Mile with First World War, and trainers who have won this race before know how to prepare a horse for it. John Velazquez — one of the most decorated jockeys of his generation — has the mount, adding further substance to the +400 price.
At that price in a four-runner market, Immortalised represents the most attractive each-way value on the card. The winning streak is real, the trainer angle is compelling, and Velazquez does not take bookings lightly.
2026 PENN Mile Picks and Betting Tips
Here are our recommended bets for the 2026 PENN Mile at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.
| Pick | Horse | Bet Type | Odds | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | Alpyland | Win | +250 | Already beat the favourite at Gulfstream on New Year's Day. Casse-Castellano is the most decorated combination in PENN Mile history. Genuine value at the price. |
| Each-Way | Honey Dutch | Win / Place | +200 | Rock-solid turf form and 6/6 ITM record make him a near-certainty to hit the board. Sound each-way proposition at a fair price. |
| Longshot | Immortalised | Win | +400 | Three-race winning streak, Velazquez in the saddle, and trainer Brendan Walsh won this race in 2024. Best-priced horse in the field. |
Our verdict: Alpyland is our selection. The Casse-Castellano combination is the most formidable in the history of this race, and Alpyland enters having already demonstrated he can beat the morning line favourite. At +250, he offers genuine value against a horse that was beaten by the same rival at Gulfstream just four months ago. Honey Dutch is a deserving favourite and makes plenty of sense each-way — rock-solid turf form and a proven record against this field. Immortalised at +400 is our preferred longshot; the trainer angle is real, the winning streak is real, and Velazquez on a horse going the right way in a field of four is never to be underestimated.
2026 PENN Oaks Preview
The $150,000 PENN Oaks at one mile on the turf is the most important supporting race on the card, and it has drawn a fascinating field of three-year-old fillies. Morning line favourite Bandigara (−125) is trained by Miguel Clement and ridden by Manuel Franco. The English-bred filly will be making her US and seasonal debut in the race — a significant unknown, but Clement's record in this race and Franco's familiarity with the surface give her strong credentials.
Second choice Final Accord (+250) again brings the Casse-Castellano combination to the fore. She won the Grade 3 Matron Stakes at Aqueduct last year, and Casse has a genuine chance of completing the PENN Mile and PENN Oaks double — though no trainer has managed that feat in the same year. Frankie Dettori is the only jockey to have won both races on the same card, achieving the double in 2024.
Two other trainers in the field have won this race before. George 'Rusty' Arnold II, who saddles Call On Me, won the 2024 PENN Oaks with Poolside with Slim in a stakes-record performance. Jack Sisterson, who runs Sutura, won the 2023 edition with Malleymoo. Both trainer angles carry genuine weight in a race that clearly suits horses from certain barns.
| Horse | Morning Line | Trainer | Jockey | Key Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bandigara | -125 | Miguel Clement | Manuel Franco | English-bred; US and seasonal debut; strong trainer-jockey combination |
| Final Accord | +250 | Mark Casse | Javier Castellano | Won Gr.3 Matron Stakes at Aqueduct 2025; Casse seeking PENN Mile and PENN Oaks double |
| Call On Me | +600 | George 'Rusty' Arnold II | TBA | Trainer won 2024 PENN Oaks with stakes-record Poolside with Slim |
| Sutura | +800 | Jack Sisterson | TBA | Trainer won 2023 PENN Oaks with Malleymoo |
Supporting Stakes on the 2026 PENN Mile Card
The All-Turf Stakes Pick 4 makes the full card worth betting from race 3 onwards, and the two Pennsylvania-bred supporting stakes are well worth a look in their own right.
Lyphard Stakes ($75,000): Run for Pennsylvania-bred horses, the Lyphard Stakes is headed by New York invader Modarosa, who opens as the 5-2 morning line favourite. The Pennsylvania-bred restriction adds a local flavour to the race and makes for a genuinely open betting heat.
Alphabet Soup Handicap ($75,000): Also restricted to Pennsylvania-breds, the Alphabet Soup is dominated by the presence of the defending champion. Fierce and Strong, who won the 2025 Alphabet Soup, opens as the 5-2 morning line favourite to retain the title. Defending champions in conditions races on their ideal surface deserve respect.
The 50-cent All-Turf Stakes Pick 4 links the Alphabet Soup, Lyphard, PENN Oaks and PENN Mile in sequence. At 50 cents a base unit, this is one of the most accessible Pick 4 sequences of the spring season and is well worth including in your race night plans.
How to Bet the 2026 PENN Mile on MyWinners
MyWinners is open to all customers aged 18 (21 in some states) and over for pari-mutuel horse racing betting. You can bet the full Penn National card — including the 2026 PENN Mile, PENN Oaks and all supporting stakes — online, via the app or at a venue.
Bet online at app.mywinners.com, on the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS or Android, or go here to find your nearest MyWinners or Winners venue in CT.
