betPARX Pennsylvania Derby Quotes

By Tom Law —-

The Puma with Javier Castellano riding won the $1,000,000 Grade I Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing in Bensalem, PA on Saturday September 19, 2026. Photo by Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO.

betPARX Pennsylvania Derby Quotes

Winning trainer Gustavo Delgado: “I am very happy because I have the confidence in (jockey Javier) Castellano. If you remember, after the Travers, he said (The Puma) needs the blinkers. The race today? One move and very very very very nice. When Javier made his move, I said, ‘he wins.’ He went very fast. You always want to win the Grade 1. For all the people, the family, it’s very good. The best race for me is right now. Very happy and very exciting. Right now, we will wait before thinking about the Breeders’ Cup. We will go back to Saratoga, and we will meet with my partners and my son (assistant trainer Gustavo Jr.) and then decide.”

Winning co-owner Randy Guy, High Step Racing: “We are excited. It’s been a long ride. We scratched on the day of the (Kentucky) Derby, and it was frustrating. But it was the best thing. I wasn’t worried about the three weeks; that was the least of my worries. He has really ran good the last two races, he really has. I know he got fourth in the Haskell. The Travers? That was a loaded field. He was running good. I was very confident coming in here. Especially what he did off the three-week layoff before (winning the Tampa Bay Derby March 7 and finishing second by a nose in the Florida Derby March 28). I was not overconfident coming here, but I knew he had that performance in him. We will let the boss (Gustavo Delgado) decide his future. He is the original Puma, before the horse came. What Gustavo is great about is letting the horse tell him what he wants to do. We knew he was happy coming into this race and it showed.”

Winning jockey Javier Castellano: “I didn’t push much or hustle the horse at the beginning of the race. The blinkers is going to make him focused, but … we’re not looking for speed. The way he trained he usually come from behind. They never trained him to be a speed horse. It worked out perfect. Today was the perfect scenario for this horse. A lot of speed. Ten horses and the way I handicapped it, seven horses were solid speed horses. I took my time with him, but my goal was … when the horses started backing out, try to move quickly, early, get the jump on the other horses and try to get to the finish line and get it done.

“When I asked him, he was always in the bridle. With the blinkers, focused. I moved, when I asked he gave it to me right away. At some point I said, ‘oh my God, you moved too early Javier.’ But he felt good, he was happy and it was a great performance.”

“He waited for horses. … He hasn’t run too many times, he’s still young, immature horse, trying to figure it out a little bit. I think the idea to put the blinkers on was an amazing idea. He’s getting better and better.”

“The way he ran in the Travers he was spotty. In the beginning … he was looking around, he wasn’t focused. He made a beautiful move at the three-eighths pole, turning for home he looked like he was going to blow the field (away). At the top of the stretch and the three-sixteenths pole he waited for the horses and took off again. He ran very inconsistent at the top of the stretch. As soon as I got off the horse I told Gustavo, ‘this horse needs blinkers. We need blinkers. I think he’s going to move forward to the next level.’ That’s the goal with the horse. He’s there, but if you are going to compete with the better horses in the country you need to put something, blinkers, develop the horse.’ He did an amazing job with the horse.”

Jockey Flavien Prat (Further Ado, second): “I had a good trip, and then the winner opened up turning for home and I just came up too late. I was in between horses, so I had to wait a bit, and then he gave me a good run. I honestly thought turning for home I was good enough to go by him and just kept grinding.”

Tyler Gaffalione (Sassmaster, third): “Absolutely, a huge race. So proud of his effort, he really showed up big for us today. He broke alertly, put himself where he needed to be, traveled like a winner but I think a little immaturity got to him today. He’s got a lot of room for improvement and seems like he’s in the right direction. He was so competitive and gave me a really good feel.”