The status of Parx Racing’s Grade 1 showcases for 3-year-olds, the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby and the $1 million Cotillion Stakes, rose steadily during the past decade.
Their prestige peaked last year when Preakness Stakes (G1) hero Seize the Grey took the Derby and Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine Thorpedo Anna won the Cotillion on her way to Horse of the Year honors.
Plenty of big names will compete Saturday in the 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby and the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion, the season’s final Grade 1s limited to 3-year-olds (the last are held on opening day at Santa Anita the day after Christmas.)
Triple Crown alumni Baeza, Gosger and Goal Oriented top the Pennsylvania Derby, while Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Good Cheer, Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) champion Scottish Lassie and multiple-stakes winner La Cara highlight the Cotillion.
Expect to see many of these colts and fillies in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) and the Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) on Nov. 1 at Del Mar.
The track just off the Pennsylvania Turnpike is in its third incarnation in Bensalem, a suburb of Philadelphia. It began as Keystone Race Track in 1974 and changed its name to Philadelphia Park (aka “The Pha”) in 1985. In 2010 it became Parx Racing and Casino, and a percentage of its massive slots revenue has fueled the megabucks purses.
The Pennsylvania Derby began in 1979 as an ungraded race with a purse of $200,000. It was elevated to Grade 3 in 1981, to Grade 2 in 2004, and achieved a Grade 1 rating in 2017. The Cotillion got its start in 1969 at Liberty Bell Park, which closed in 1985.
Here is some intel on the leading contenders in the Derby and Cotillion, with program numbers and odds in parentheses.
La Cara (Post 2, 7/2) went wire to wire in the Ashland Stakes (G1) and Acorn Stakes (G1), and trainer Mark Casse said she’ll try to do that at Parx.
“We are going to go to the lead,” Casse said. “Those will be my instructions to (jockey) Dylan Davis.”
Scottish Lassie, the 9-5 favorite who drew the rail, is coming off a 15-length, wire-to-wire runaway in the Coaching Club American Oaks. She’s not as quick early as La Cara, so she’ll try to sit behind her. She won the Frizette Stakes (G1) last fall in her second career start while stalking the pace.
“I don’t like the one post,” trainer Jorge Abreu said, “but hopefully we will get a clean break and a good position. She does not have to be on the lead. She could be forwardly placed and she can target horses.”
Clicquot (3, 8-1) also has good early speed and has two wins stalking, including a four-length romp last out in the 1 1/16-mile Indiana Oaks (G3). It will be only her fifth start, the fewest in the field, so she has upside and picks up superstar rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. Worth a long look at a nice price.
“She’s done nothing wrong, but this is the first big test for her,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “There are some nice fillies in there, but I don’t think she’ll be out of place.”
The horse they all must worry about is Good Cheer, a stalker who was 7-for-7 for trainer Brad Cox before failing at 1-5 odds in the Acorn. She bounced back last time with a strong second in the Alabama Stakes (G1) behind Nitrogen, arguably the best 3-year-old filly on dirt and turf. Good Cheer is 5-for-5 at 1 1/16 miles and enters off two strong 5-furlong workouts.
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Despite a 1-for-7 career record, favorite Baeza (post 8, 2-1) is only $52,000 short of a million in earnings. He’s been respectable but denied four times against the big boys, running second once and third twice behind division leader Sovereignty, and finishing second to Journalism.
“There looks like there’s going to be a lot of speed in the race,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “He is pretty good at getting dirt in his face and being in between horses. I’m not too concerned about that.”
Baeza’s penchant for falling short reminds me of this old joke: “Brazil is the country of the future and always will be.” A win bet at 2-1 odds isn’t inviting.
Gosger (post 9, 4-1) was runner-up by only half a length behind Journalism in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1). He’s been first (twice) and second in all five of his races. His overall speed figures are slightly better than those of Baeza. Baeza has better late-pace numbers but hasn’t been as close at the finish as Gosger has been.
“There are some nice horses in there, but I wouldn’t swap him for anybody,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “We looked at the Travers, but realistically his best chance at winning a Grade 1 this year was going to be against his own age group in this race.”
If Goal Oriented (post 6, 5-2) were trained by someone other than Bob Baffert, he wouldn’t command nearly as much respect. Still, this will be only his fifth start, he’s working well at Del Mar, and his only off-the-board finish was a troubled fourth in the Preakness. It will be no shock if Saturday is breakthrough day.
“The talent is there,” Baffert said, “and I think with age he is going to get better and better. It’s a tough race.”
Magnitude (post 3, 6-1) is speedy, but his class is highly questionable. There was a lot of “wise guy” buzz about him for the Travers, but he folded after being headed and faded to third, beaten 20 lengths. He’s never beaten a top horse and he’s facing three this time.
1 So Sandy (Kendrick Carmouche, Cherie DeVaux), 15-1
2 Altobelli (Angel Castillo, James Nicholson, Jr.), 50-1
3 Magnitude (Ben Curtis, Steve Asmussen), 6-1
4 David of Athens (Tyler Gaffalione, Brendan Walsh), 12-1
5 Happily Delusional (Paco Lopez, Louis Linder, Jr.), 30-1
6 Goal Oriented (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Bob Baffert), 5-2
7 Big Truzz (Javier Castellano, Brian Lynch), 10-1
8 Baeza (Hector Berrios, John Shirreffs), 2-1
9 Gosger (Luis Saez, Brendan Walsh), 4-1
10 Mo Plex (Joe Ramos, Jeremiah Englehart), 12-1
