The track found on the oddly named Street Road, off Exit 351 of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, was founded in 1974 as Keystone. It was rechristened Philadelphia Park in 1984 and reincarnated as Parx Racing in 2010.
Trainer D. Wayne Lukas (far right) watches his Preakness Stakes (GI) winner Seize the Grey, ridden by exercise rider Miguel Flores, cool out after training at Parx Racing in Bensalem, PA on September 18, 2024, ahead of this Saturday’s $1,000,000 Pennsylvania Derby (GI). Photo by Nikki Sherman/EQUI-PHOTO.
Several Hot Betting Options On the Table in the Pennsylvania Derby Card
Its booming casino’s bountiful purse subsidies prop up the racing, usually viewed as an unimportant activity going on in the backyard, but every year Pennsylvania Derby day makes Parx a destination. Saturday’s 14-race, $3.85 million card drew 180 entries and offers 11 stakes, including Grade 1, million-dollar events, the Cotillion and Pennsylvania Derby. The leading 3-year-old filly, charismatic Kentucky Oaks heroine Thorpedo Anna, and Preakness hero Seize the Grey are in the house.
Much money will change hands, some of it on a bet called the Philly Big 5, a nod to the basketball rivalry among locals Villanova, St. Joseph’s, Temple, Penn and LaSalle. It’s an all-stakes multiple wager on the day’s final five races. For those who bet horse racing, here’s an affordable ($32) ticket.
TURF MONSTER (G3), 5 furlongs, turf (race 10, post 4:04 p.m. ET)
Souper Quest (3), the 5-2 favorite, ships in for red-hot trainer Mark Casse after just missing against high-class Big Invasion at Saratoga. Souper Quest is 9-for-9 in the money (four wins) in turf sprints. Also use Jean Valjean (4), 3-for-3 in grass sprints; course-and-distance winner Alagon (6); and Senbei (8), a strong closer in a race loaded with early speed.
GALLANT BOB (G3), 6 furlongs (race 11, post 4:35 p.m.)
Bentornato (1), the 9-5 favorite, returns to a distance where he’s 2-for-2. Two starts back, he ran third in the mile Saudi Derby to Forever Young, who almost won the Kentucky Derby, and sprint ace Book’em Danno. Horse-for-course Buccherino (3) is 3-for-3 at Parx and training sharply.
COTILLION (G1), 1 1/16 miles (race 12, post 5:20 p.m.)
Thorpedo Anna (6) is a no-brainer single. She nearly beat males in the Travers, and unless it took too much out of her, she’ll coast at 1-10 odds.
PENNSYLVANIA DERBY (G1), 1 1/8 miles (race 13, post 6:10 p.m.)
After excelling in the Pat Day Mile and Preakness Stakes, Seize the Grey (2) flopped in the Belmont Stakes and Jim Dandy Stakes, both at Saratoga. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas said maybe he didn’t like the track there. Or maybe he’s over the top after seven hard races this year. He’ll lead all the way or finish far back, but you’ve got to use him defensively.
Other possibilities are Dragoon Guard (7), Unmatched Wisdom (8) and Stronghold (11).
Dragoon Guard has won four straight, the last three wire to wire, but the 9-5 favorite’s early-pace figures can’t match Seize the Grey’s. Throw out the bad-trip Travers of Unmatched Wisdom, who has tactical speed and has won stalking. The outside post could compromise the remarkably consistent Stronghold, whose only off-the-board finish in eight races was a troubled seventh in the Kentucky Derby. He won the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby stalking from fourth, which would be his best chance here.
PARX SPRINT, 6½ furlongs (race 14, post 6:40 p.m.)
Gordian Knot (2), 5-for-8 at Parx, 3-for-4 at 6½ furlongs, comes off a 7-furlong win there in a state-bred stakes. Before that he was a creditable third twice behind Dan Delivers, who’s won four consecutive sprint stakes. The main danger could be Twisted Ride (3), who loves Parx (9-for-18) and gets massive class relief after Grade 1 tries in Saratoga’s Vanderbilt and Forego.
The numbers: 3,4,6,8 with 1,3 with 6 with 2,7,8,11 with 2,3
(64 combinations at 50 cents will cost $32).
And good luck.