Barnes Back East for Gallant Bob

One month ago, Zedan Racing Stables' Barnes  shipped east from California to Saratoga Race Course as he returned from a 4 1/2-month freshening to run a respectable third in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1). Now, he's back on the East Coast at Parx Racing Sept. 20 for the $400,000 Gallant Bob Stakes (G2).

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the Into Mischief   colt is 2-for-3 around one turn with a grade 2 victory and that grade 1 placing at Saratoga. Tyler Gaffalione will take the saddle aboard Barnes for the first time in this six-furlong contest.

Barnes is the 2-1 favorite on the morning line, which also deems Neoequos  (5-2), Donut God  (4-1), and Retribution  (5-1) as his biggest challengers in the 10-horse field.

Grade 1-placed in the Florida Derby (G1) at 1 1/8 miles, C2 Racing Stable, Ian Parsard, Shining Stables, Stefania Farms, Ken Reimer, Paul Braverman, and Timothy Pinch's Neoequos is 2-1-0 from three starts at the distance. Two starts ago at six furlongs, he won the July 18 Jersey Shore Stakes by a convincing 3 3/4 lengths at Monmouth Park over Gallant Bob rivals Donut God and Fire Pit . In that race, Flying Dutchmen Breeding and Racing's stakes-winning Donut God was returning from a seven-month layoff for his sophomore debut.

Saturday will mark the first time in Retribution's career that he's raced over a specific track for a second time. He was the winner of the PTHA President's Sprint Stakes Aug. 18 at Parx and also boasts a victory in Pimlico Race Course's Chick Lang Stakes this spring.

Brazilian No Bien Ni Mal Favored in Greenwood Cup

Meanwhile, seven older horses are ready for a much longer 1 1/2-mile test at Parx Saturday as they chase a $200,000 purse in the Greenwood Cup Stakes (G3).

Brazilian-bred No Bien Ni Mal  makes his United States stakes debut after winning a 1 1/8-mile Saratoga allowance Aug. 10 to kick off his North American career. Owned by Duplo Ouro Stables, his lone start at the distance was his final South American start, where he was fourth in group 1 company. Joel Rosario takes the mount aboard the 2-1 morning-line favorite for trainer Paulo Lobo.

Video: Saratoga, Race 10, ALW

A top challenger is Jeffrey Drown's Digital Ops , breaking from the rail. In his first test beyond 1 3/16 miles, he finished second by one length to Parchment Party  in the 1 3/4-mile Birdstone Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 6.

Josh and Rick Engel, Greg Armatys, and Chelsey Badura's Calibrate  is the only one of the seven runners with a win over 1 1/2 miles.

Coastal Mission Seeks Title Defense in Parx Dirt Mile

Coleswood Farm's homebred Coastal Mission  is back to defend his title in the $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile Stakes Saturday. A half-length winner last year for trainer Jeff Runco, the grade 3-winning son of Great Notion   is the 3-1 favorite while making his first start since March 1.

The race's 2022 winner, Far Mo Power , also chases a second victory as part of a nine-horse field.