California Chrome Returns in Pennsylvania Derby
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California Chrome, shown winning the 2014 Kentucky Derby, makes his first start since the Belmont Stakes in Saturday's Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing. (Photos by Eclipse Sportswire unless otherwise noted)
Racing’s springtime hero makes his long-awaited return to the races this Saturday, three months after his failed attempt at the Triple Crown. Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner California Chrome will break from the rail as the even-money choice in Parx Racing’s $1-million Pennsylvania Derby.
The 1 1/8-mile contest drew a field of eight, with some stiff competition lining up to challenge the dual classic winner. The race’s filly counterpart, the $1-million Cotillion Stakes also drew a salty field of nine sophomore fillies, making for an entertaining day at the track. Watch both races this Saturday on the America’s Best Racing livestream beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Bayern enters the Pennsylvania Derby off a disappointing last place finish in Saratoga’s Travers Stakes last month. The colt was made the favorite in that race after romping victories in the Woody Stephens and the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational, with the latter run at the same 1 1/8-mile distance as the Pennsylvania Derby. The son of Offlee Wild will break from post 4, and his natural speed could cause problems for California Chrome breaking to his inside.
BAYERN WINS THE 2014 HASKELL INVITATIONAL
Photo by Equiphoto
Winchell Thoroughbreds’ Tapiture has posted two consecutive wins since his 15th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby. The son of Tapit has tallied victories in the Matt Winn Stakes and the West Virginia Derby since May and enters the race looking to avenge his Derby loss with regular rider Rosie Napravnik aboard.
Todd Pletcher-trained Protonico has a win over the surface having captured the Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx on Sept. 1. The improving colt has three wins and a third in five career starts. California invader Candy Boy has a pair of second-place efforts since his mid-pack finish in the Kentucky Derby. The Candy Ride colt finished behind leading sophomore Shared Belief in the Los Alamitos Derby in July before getting caught by Tapiture at the wire of the West Virginia Derby.
UNTAPABLE WINS 2014 KENTUCKY OAKS
The Grade 1 Cotillion features a filly showdown that will likely help determine year-end honors. Kentucky Oaks winner Untapable is the morning-line favorite for the 1 1/16-mile race after four consecutive wins to kick off 2014. The filly tried males in the Haskell where she wound up in fifth place.
Multiple Grade 1 winners Stopchargingmaria, heroine of the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama at Saratoga this summer, and Sweet Reason, a top middle-distance filly looking to stretch out, are formidable foes for the Oaks winner.
The Cotillion also features untested Monmouth Oaks winner Cassatt, Alabama runner-up Joint Return and multiple graded stakes winner Jojo Warrior.
$1-million Pennsylvania Derby
Saturday, Parx, Race 12, Post Time 5:40 p.m. ET
1 1/8 miles, dirt, 3-year-olds
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M-L Odds
1
California Chrome
Victor Espinoza
124
Art Sherman
1-1
2
Candy Boy
Joel Rosario
122
John Sadler
12-1
3
Protonico
Javier Castellano
122
Todd Pletcher
6-1
4
Bayern
Martin Garcia
124
Bob Baffert
7-2
5
Noble Moon
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
122
Leah Gyarmati
15-1
6
Classic Giacnroll
Kendrick Carmouche
117
Lisa Guerrero
15-1
7
Tapiture
Rosie Napravnik
122
Steve Asmussen
5-1
8
C J's Awesome
Edgar Prado
117
Kenny McPeek
12-1
$1-million Cotillion Stakes
Saturday, Parx, Race 11, Post Time 4:45 p.m. ET
1 1/16 miles, dirt, 3-year-old fillies
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M-L Odds
1
Cassatt
Kerwin Clark
122
Larry Jones
12-1
2
Sweet Reason
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
124
Leah Gyarmati
3-1
3
House Rules
Javier Castellano
119
Jimmy Jerkens
20-1
4
Joint Return
Kendrick Carmouche
119
John Servis
10-1
5
Vero Amore
Frankie Pennington
119
Robert Reid, Jr.
20-1
6
Little Alexis
Joel Rosario
119
Carlo Vaccarezza
20-1
7
Jojo Warrior
Martin Garcia
122
Bob Baffert
6-1
8
Untapable
Rosie Napravnik
124
Steve Asmussen
7-5
9
Stopchargingmaria
John Velazquez
124
Todd Pletcher
9-2
WATCH THE PENNSYLVANIA DERBY AND COTILLION STAKES LIVE
ON AMERICASBESTRACING.NET
Saturday, Sept. 20, 4:30-6 p.m. ET