Collected Returns in Pa Derby Champion Stakes

The past handful of days have been testing ones for Thoroughbred racing fans as one standout after another has gone to the sidelines either permanently or for an extended period.

This past weekend saw European standouts Alpha Centauri and Saxon Warrior retired within hours of each other due to injury. Unbeaten juvenile Instagrand will be freshened for his 3-year-old campaign, and promising youngster Roadster is on the list of those who won't be at Churchill Downs in November for the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.

With so much talent going by the wayside, the return of a grade 1 performer is especially welcome. After nearly eight months away, Speedway Stable's Collected is slated to be in the starting gate Sept. 22 against eight challengers in the $150,000 Pa Derby Champion Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Parx Racing.

This time last season, Collected was anything but low-key in his on-track appearances. The chestnut son of City Zip enjoyed a 4-year-old campaign that, were it not for Gun Runner 's dominant second half, would have put him at the forefront for year-end honors.

The Bob Baffert trainee won his first four starts of 2017, including a victory over champion stablemate Arrogate  in the $1 Million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes (G1) in August, and was second to Gun Runner in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Del Mar. After closing out his year with a third in the Dec. 26 San Antonio Stakes (G2), he had a wildly off day in the Jan. 27 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) and finished seventh, beaten 16 1/2 lengths by Gun Runner.

That non-effort earned Collected an extended break, a formula that has worked for him in the past. He was given nearly 11 months off following his 10th in the 2016 Preakness Stakes (G1).

"We just wanted to give him some time off," Baffert said. "I would have loved to run him at Del Mar—he loves that track—but he's doing well now.

"We've been getting him ready really quickly. I needed to get a race into him if you're going to be in the Breeders' Cup, and I thought this would be a good spot. It was either that or run against (multiple grade 1 winner) Accelerate  (at Santa Anita Park). But this isn't an easy spot. It's not a walkover."

Though the majority of Collected's success has come on the West Coast, he shipped to win the 2016 Sunland Park Festival of Racing Stakes and that year's Lexington Stakes (G3) at Keeneland. Collected's fitness may not be at peak level, but Baffert is confident the 5-year-old's superior ability will make up for that Saturday.

"He's a fast horse, and he has his class," the Hall of Fame trainer said. "When they're just about not quite ready, you have to count on their past class to get them the rest of the way."

Collected was installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite out of post 7 and will have Mike Smith aboard.

If Collected proves vulnerable off the layoff, graded stakes winner Name Changer could take advantage. The Colts Neck Stables homebred has won three of his past four starts, including the July 29 Monmouth Cup Stakes (G3), and owns three wins at Parx.

Aztec Sense brings a six-race win streak and looks for his fourth straight win at Parx this year. The 5-year-old gelding by Street Sense  swept the June 23 Turning For Home Handicap and a starter allowance July 30 before stalking and drawing off to win the Aug. 25 Salvatore M. Debunda PTHA President's Cup Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths.

Entries: Pa Derby Champion S.

Parx Racing, Saturday, September 22, 2018, Race 8

• STK
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 3:41 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Small Bear (KY)	Emmanuel Esquivel	119	Gary Sciacca	20/1
2	2Sunny Ridge (NJ)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	121	Jason Servis	8/1
3	3Zanotti (KY)	Angel S. Arroyo	119	Juan Carlos Guerrero	15/1
4	4Name Changer (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	121	Alan E. Goldberg	9/2
5	5Prince of Hempt (PA)	Angel R. Rodriguez	119	Timothy C. Kreiser	15/1
6	6Aztec Sense (KY)	Emisael Jaramillo	124	Jorge Navarro	6/1
7	7Collected (KY)	Mike E. Smith	119	Bob Baffert	6/5
8	8Grasshoppin (PA)	Edwin Rivera	126	Claudio A. Gonzalez	12/1
9	9Exulting (KY)	Joe Bravo	121	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	10/1