A dozen three-year-olds, seven of them already stakes winners, will take center stage this Friday evening, May 30, at Penn National Race Course in the Grade 3, $400,000 Penn Mile, the track’s signature event. Scheduled for one mile on the turf, the Penn Mile is a key stop for rising turf stars and offers an enticing blend of stakes-tested veterans and up-and-coming talent.

Mi Bago (5-2, owner Gary Barber) headlines the field off a sharp fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 American Turf at Churchill Downs, where he led a long way before yielding late. Trained by Mark Casse and to be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., the New York-bred has five wins from nine starts and banked over $435,000. He was dominant in the Colonel Liam Stakes at Gulfstream March 1, drawing away by nearly five lengths in what remains his career-best effort.

Clock Tower (5-1, Mrs. Fitriani Hay) brings elite speed for trainer Wesley Ward. Fresh off a front-running victory in the Paradise Creek Stakes on May 24, he will be reunited with jockey John Velazquez, who rode him to a win in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille last December. The Not This Time gelding has been in the money of eight starts and could control the pace from the outset.

Out On Bail (6-1, Case Chambers, Paradise Farms Corp., and David Staudacher) enters in sharp form for trainer Mike Maker. The New York-bred gray finished second by a half-length in the William Walker Stakes at Churchill Downs, fighting gamely after making the lead. A winner in the Skidmore Stakes last summer at the Spa, he’ll look to add a second stakes win to his resume with Juan Hernandez in the irons.

Smooth Breeze (8-1, Joseph A. Hinkhouse), drawn on the rail, recently won a NY-bred allowance at Aqueduct and was previously runner-up in the $150,000 Central Park Stakes. Trained by Jorge Abreu and ridden by Flavien Prat, the More Than Ready colt could get a ground-saving trip and will look to build on his two wins from five starts.

States’ Rights (8-1, Belladonna Racing, LLC and Twin Brook Stables) has quietly assembled a solid résumé with four top-two finishes in six starts. The Constitution colt, trained by Cherie DeVaux, overcame a slow start to finish second at Keeneland in April. Jose Ortiz will look to time his rally just right.

Sounds Like a Plan (10-1, Club Sixty Five Racing) exits a close third-place finish in the Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct, where he showed fight on the inside. Ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr. for trainer Horacio De Paz, the Twirling Candy colt figures to be part of the early pace.

Tom’s Magic (10-1, CJ Thoroughbreds and Mo Speed Racing) is a stakes winner who will look to bounce back from a tough trip in the Grade 3 Transylvania. The son of Justify was a daylight winner of the Black Gold Stakes at Fair Grounds and will be ridden by Ben Curtis for trainer Michael Stidham.

Cairo Caper (12-1, William B. Thompson, Jr.) adds value to the field for trainer Phil Schoenthal. Though seventh last out in the Woodhaven — albeit beaten less than two lengths — he was a stakes winner at Woodbine last summer and will get a new pilot in Victor Carrasco.

Kentucky Outlaw (12-1, Felissa Dunn) comes in with three wins from four starts, most recently scoring in Monmouth Park’s Long Branch Stakes. But all of his starts have been on the main track. The Outwork colt, trained and owned by Felissa Dunn, could be the field’s wildcard if he handles the surface switch. Paco Lopez has the return mount.

Barbadian Runner (15-1, AJ Will Win Stables LLC) is a hard-trying Maryland-bred with 9 top-three finishes from 12 starts, including two stakes wins. Fourth in the James W. Murphy Stakes in his first turf try last out, he gets Forest Boyce back aboard for trainer Henry Walters.

Café La Paix (20-1, R.T Racing Stable) steps up in class after breaking his maiden at Tampa Bay Downs last month in a game effort. The French-bred son of Hello Youmzain is trained by Leandro Moreno-Barban and will be guided by Samuel Marin.

Panagiotis (30-1, Peter Kazamias) rounds out the field as the local hopeful. A winner of two of his three starts, including a sharp Penn National allowance, the Violence colt will look to shock the field under jockey Julio Hernandez for trainer Dimitrios Synnefias. It will be his first turf try.

Post time for the Penn Mile is set for 7:45 p.m. ET, with the race serving as the featured event on a rich evening card. Supporting stakes include the $150,000 Penn Oaks and a pair of state-bred turf events.

PENN MILE ENTRIES