As of 2:45 p.m. Saturday, the Rain Gods have spared the Penn Mile day card at Penn National.

The main track is firm and the turf is dry and in beautiful condition. All of the forecast rain the last few days has either gone around Grantville, Pa., or stayed to the south.

It is a warm and humid summer afternoon, with temperatures in the mid-80’s. But for June, and following a long winter, it’s hard to complain.

First post is 3:45 p.m. Eastern, with seven stakes to be run consecutively starting in race 3 at 4:40 p.m.

 There are seven stakes scratches, with the two most important being PURE SENSATION in race 8, the $200,000 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup, and SMART REMARK in the $500,000 Penn Mile, race 9.

In the Penn Mile, SMART REMARK figured to be a pace threat to HE’S BANKABLE. His defection will make things easer on the front end for HE’S BANABLE and could work against the two favorites – MARAUD and THERAPIST – and ENCUMBERED, a top contender.

HAWKISH figures to take up a stalking position just off the pace, and an easy or realistic pace would seem to help his chances.

With the scratches of logical favorite PURE SENSATION and main-track-only entrant UGOTTAHAVEHEART, the Governor’s Cup has a wide-open field of 10. JUST TALKIN will be favored but he is not as dominant as PURE SENSATION would have been. This is one of the more competitive races of the day.

For the complete scratches, click here.

There is an all-stakes pick four that begins on race 6 at 6:10 p.m. The races are the $100,000 Penn Ladies dash, the $200,000 Penn Oaks, the Governor’s Cup and the Penn Mile.

The all-time Penn Mile Day record handle of $3.8 million was set in 2015.