Competitive fields set for Saturday’s Grade 1 betPARX Pennsylvania Derby, Cotillion

By Tom Law —-

Competitive field of 11 set for betPARX Pennyslvania Derby

BENSALEM, Pa. – Spendthrift Farm’s Grade 1 winner Further Ado tries to return to the form that landed him the favorite’s role for the Kentucky Derby when he takes on 10 others Saturday in a competitive renewal of the $1 million, Grade 1 betPARX Pennsylvnia Derby at Parx Racing.

The 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby, co-featured on the strong 15-race card with the Grade 1 Cotillion, also drew graded stakes winners Iron Honor, The Puma and Zihnal along with stakes winners Talk to Me Jimmy, Our Moneyman, Igniter, Micanopy and Ponder and Dream.

Further Ado, winner of the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes and Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes this spring and the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last year, drew post seven for the Pennsylvania Derby and is the 2-1 favorite on the morning line set by Parx’s Director of Racing and Racing Secretary David Osojnak.

Trained by Brad Cox, the 3-year-old son of Gun Runner will be ridden for the first time in the Pennsylvania Derby by Flavien Prat. He’s won four of nine starts and $1,476,958 – the highest earnings in the field – and comes off a fifth on a sloppy track in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational in late July at Monmouth Park.

The Puma heads into the Pennsylvania Derby off back-to-back fourth-place efforts in Grade 1 stakes – the Haskell and Travers at Saratoga Race Course – for owners OGMA Investments, High Step Racing, TCC Stables and JR Racing. Trained by Gustavo Delgado, the son of Essential Quality won the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby and finished a nose behind Commandment in the Grade 1 Florida Derby to head to Churchill Downs as one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby. He scratched the morning of the race due to leg swelling and his connections plotted out a summer and fall campaign. The Puma is the 4-1 second choice on the morning line.

Iron Honor, winner of the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct in late February and 5-1 third choice, also comes out of the Haskell. He finished third there for trainer Chad Brown, after a second to Napoleon Solo in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park. Owned by St. Elias Stable, William Lawrence and Glassman Racing, the son of Nyquist will be ridden in the Pennsylvania Derby by Jose Ortiz.

Augustin Stable’s Zihnal makes his third straight Derby start after a fourth in the Grade 3 Indiana Derby – behind eventual Travers winner Leading Change and Our Moneyman – and a victory in the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer Park. Trained by Jonathan Thomas, the son of Quality Road drew the rail and reunites with John Velazquez for the Pennsylvania Derby. He’s 8-1 on the morning line, along with Our Moneyman and Ellis Park Derby winner Igniter.

KAS Stables’ Our Moneyman makes his Grade 1 debut for trainer Bret Calhoun. First or second in eight of nine starts, the son of Mr. Money exits two seconds in the Grade 3 Matt Winn and Grade 3 Indiana Derby. Manny Franco rides Our Moneyman.

Micanopy, Ponder and Dream and Freedom’s Echo finished 1-2-3 in the top local prep, the $200,000 Smarty Jones Stakes, and return for the Pennsylvania Derby. Micanopy’s connections could be in for a bigger payday if the Florida-bred son of Uncle Chuck wins. Owner Jane Perry and trainer Michael Simone would each receive a $50,000 bonus for the Smarty Jones- Pennsylvania Derby sweep.

The 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby is the 14th of 15 races on the Saturday Parx card with a post time of 5:48 p.m. ET. The Pennsylvania Derby and Grade 1 Cotillion for 3-year-old fillies headline Saturday’s card that kicks off at 10:35 a.m. ET.

The card also includes the $400,000, Grade 2 Gallant Bob Stakes for 3-year-olds at 6 furlongs; the $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile Stakes for 3-year-olds and up; and the $150,000 Greenwood Cup for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles, the $150,000 Liberty Bell Stakes for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, at 6 1/2 furlongs, the $150,000 Stable Recovery Stakes for 4-year-olds and up at 6 1/2 furlongs, and the $150,000 Philly Special for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, at 1 mile and 70 yards.

The field for the Grade 1, $1 million betPARX Pennsylvania Derby, with trainers, jockeys and morning-line odds:

1. Zihnal, Jonathan Thomas, John Velazquez, 8-1

11. Ponder and Dream, Robert Reid Jr., Mychel Sanchez, 20-1

Always a Runner headlines deep field for Cotillion Stakes

BENSALEM, Pa. – Douglas Scharbauer’s and Three Chimneys Farm’s Kentucky Oaks winner Always a Runner bids for her second Grade 1 victory of the season and looks to get back in the mix for champion 3-year-old filly honors in Saturday’s $1 million, Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing.

The Cotillion, co-featured on the blockbuster 15-race betPARX Pennsylvania Derby Day card, attracted a field of nine led by Always a Runner along with the late-developing multiple Grade 1-placed Measure, Black-Eyed Susan and Monmouth Oaks winner My Miss Mo, Grade 1 winner Iron Orchard and Grade 2 winner Zany.

Always a Runner, winner of the Grade 3 Gazelle and Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks before back-to-back seconds to Counting Stars in Grade 1 stakes at Saratoga Race Course, drew post four and was pegged as the 8-5 favorite on the morning line by Parx’s Director of Racing and Racing Secretary David Osojnak.

Trained by Chad Brown, the 3-year-old daughter of Gun Runner will be ridden in the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion by Jose Ortiz. She’s won three of five starts with two seconds for $1,184,800 in earnings.

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’, Bridlewood Farm’s and Gary Barber’s Measure comes into the Cotillion off back-to-back Grade 1 placings at Saratoga – a third behind Counting Stars and Always a Runner in the Coaching Club American Oaks and a second to My Gun’s Loaded in the Alabama. Trained by Mark Casse, Measure will be ridden by Manny Franco as the 4-1 second pick.

Repole Stable’s Zany, the 9-2 third choice for jockey John Velazquez, finished second in the Grade 1 Ashland in April at Keeneland and comes in off a fourth in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the daughter of American Pharoah is 3-for-6. With $414,625 in earnings.

My Miss Mo rides a two-race win streak into the Cotillion for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and owners Averill Racing, Mathis Stable and Tristan De Meric. The daughter of Uncle Mo won the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan in May at Laurel Park and the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks last time out in late July. She’s 5-1 for jockey Tyler Gaffalione.

Tap to Open, the 8-1 co-fourth choice with Bodacious Bay, could provide a $50,000 bonus to both owner Whisper Hill Farm and trainer Brad Cox as the winner of the Cathryn Sophia and Cotillion.

The Cotillion goes as the 13th of 15 races Saturday with post time of 4:58 p.m. ET.

The Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion headline Saturday’s card that also includes the $400,000, Grade 2 Gallant Bob Stakes for 3-year-olds at 6 furlongs; the $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile Stakes for 3-year-olds and up; and the $150,000 Greenwood Cup for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/2 miles, the $150,000 Liberty Bell Stakes for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, at 6 1/2 furlongs, the $150,000 Stable Recovery Stakes for 4-year-olds and up at 6 1/2 furlongs, and the $150,000 Philly Special for fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up, at 1 mile and 70 yards.

Post time for the first race on Pennsylvania Derby Day is 10:35 a.m. ET.

The field for the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion Stakes, with trainers, jockeys and morning-line odds:

1. My Miss Mo, Saffie Joseph Jr., Tyler Gaffalione, 5-1

9. Tap To Open, Brad Cox, Flavien Prat, 8-1