Trainer Mark Casse hopes Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Turf Monster Stakes at Parx Racing leads to bigger and better things for Souper Quest. “I’d love to run him in the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar because I think it would suit him,” Casse said. “I’m just trying to get his résumé a little better.” The Turf Monster, for 3-year-olds and up, will be contested at five furlongs over a turf course that reopened Monday following a several-week shutdown over safety concerns. A 4-year-old Munnings colt, Souper Quest finished third 17 days ago in the Harvey Pack at Saratoga. “It was nice because he settled a little and showed he can sit off of a horse,” Casse remarked. “I think 5 1/2 [furlongs] is a touch too far for him.” Trainer Elizabeth Merryman knows a thing or two about training quality turf sprinters, having conditioned Caravel and Witty. She might have another good one in Jean Valjean, who is unbeaten in three starts since moving to grass. “The switch to the turf has been huge for him,” Merryman said. “He’s a very, very fast horse. Once he got to a level where others were as fast on the dirt, and they looked him in the eye, it didn’t go so well.” :: Bet with the Best! Get FREE All-Access PPs and Weekly Cashback when you wager on DRF Bets. In his most recent start, Jean Valjean wired the field in the restricted Don’t Close Your Eyes over a yielding course at Penn National. “It was really rough on the turn,” Merryman said. “He was bobbling and switching leads and struggling to get a hold of it, but it didn’t slow him down much.” Senbei finished third, beaten a head, in the Select on Aug. 17 at Monmouth Park. Trained by Christophe Clement, the Candy Ride gelding brings very competitive speed figures to the fray and looms a logical contender. Full siblings Smooth B and Fore Harp have combined for more than $1.2 million in lifetime earnings. Nine-year-old Smooth B, described by trainer Butch Reid as “the team mascot,” is winless from 16 turf starts, but finished second in this race last year and enters in fine form following a victory in the off-turf Marshall Jenney for statebreds on Aug. 26. Fore Harp is a speedster who notched the Laurel Dash last year racing six furlongs on turf. Alogon rallied from off the pace to take the Parx Dash over this course and distance Aug. 24. “I think he’s better off when he is a little off the pace and has a good clear run at it,” trainer Ned Allard said. “He does have a real good kick.” Boat’s a Rockin finished second in the 2022 Turf Monster. The 13-time winner finished fourth in the Parx Dash. Trainer Michael Moore won the 2022 Turf Monster with That’s Right. He’ll send out Talented Man, who has won his last two turf starts including a second-level allowance May 17 at Pimlico. Traders Luck and Center Mid Maddie also are entered. Foxtrotanna, Catty’s Uncle, and Talkin Pharoah are on the also-eligible list. Real Talk races main track only. Plum Pretty Morning Matcha is the 2-5 morning-line favorite in the $100,000 Plum Pretty for statebred fillies and mares at a mile and 70 yards. The millionaire finished second in the 2022 Cotillion and was a dominant 11 3/4-length winner of the restricted Mrs. Penny, an off-turf affair Aug. 26. “She had the right group in there,” Reid said. “The jock gave her a fantastic ride. Waited on the inside and cut the corner on them. I think she’ll be very tough against this group.” Foxy Junior returns to dirt, where she won her last three starts, after a fourth-place finish on synthetic in the Princess of Sylmar on July 29. Alphabet Soup Crisper enters the $100,000 Alphabet Soup at 1 1/16 miles on turf in excellent form for trainer Tim Woolley. A winner of his last two starts, including Penn National’s restricted Summer Fun, Crisper squares off again with Summer Fun runner-up Retweet. Fierce and Strong brings early speed to the statebred stakes. There are several entrants with proven main-track form. Margin of Air is stakes-placed on the dirt, while Capo upset the Pennsylvania Nursery sprinting on dirt last fall. Market Maven has earned black type on dirt, and Twilight Dancer has won four of his last five over the all-weather at Presque Isle. :: Get the Inside Track with the FREE DRF Morning Line Email Newsletter. Subscribe now.  Whistle Pig Beyondexpectations, a 2-year-old half-brother to Pennsylvania Derby entrant Uncle Heavy, makes his second career start in the $100,000 Whistle Pig for Pennsylvania-breds at six furlongs. Second in his debut for Reid, an open maiden special on Sept. 10 at Parx, the Peace and Justice colt should show speed. The only two prior winners in the field are Roxton, recently a well-beaten third in Monmouth’s Sapling at one mile, and The Boy’s Warrior, who captured his debut Aug. 28 at Presque Isle. ◗ Anabam, a 6 3/4-length debut winner of a statebred maiden special weight on Aug. 26, should go favored facing eight maidens in the $100,000 Miss Blue Tye Dye for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs. Trained by Todd Beattie, Anabam’s main challengers include well-bred Tudox Dahlia and Angel of Hope. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.