Saturday is Parx’s big day — a proud day for Pennsylvania horse racing fans. Some of the top jocks will be there including the Ortiz brothers, Mike Smith and Rosario.
G2 for three-year-olds, 6 furlongs on dirt, field of nine.
Interesting field with plenty of shippers and speed horses to stir the pot and add to the confusion.
King Jack 2/1
Rosario / Hollendorfer
Logical favorite whose only loss was to Bob Baffert’s Improbable, last month at Del Mar. Has more of a pressing style than most of the other speed in the race, which may come in handy. If you’re looking for a reason to toss, I don’t think a shipper from del mar has won this race in a long time.
Landeskog 7/2
Cedillo / O'Neill
Another DMR shipper that’s coming off an impressive win in an N1X. Bombed two-back in the Woody Stephens which may scare off some punters— his odds could drift up on the board. Owns the highest early pace figure so he’ll be in the mix for the lead.
Bulletin 4/1
Smith / Pletcher
Won his first three races sprinting on the turf, all gate-to-wire. Then a loss at Churchill can be blamed on the short rest. Took a break and then tried stretching out at the SPA. Not a bad third-place effort but faded late. After five races on turf, will be trying dirt for the first time. Love the trainer/jockey combo, but why try the surface switch in a G2?
Trophy Chaser 6/1
J Ortiz / Avila
Won his maiden at Gulfstream last year by 15 lengths but then faded in the Champagne which was a big ask — the only blemish on his lifetime 6-race resume. Fine gate-to-wire place-effort in January this year, took a 5-month break, then won an N1X at Gulfstream in late August. If you like the 2nd off a layoff angle, this is your guy. Great jockey upgrade but the trainer is an unknown. Kind of horse who fires in every race; even his Champagne beat five others.
Strong Will 10/1
Saez / Rivelli
Wired the field last-out at Mnr in a N3X (do they actually run N3Xs anymore?), after a bad try on the turf, stretching out . Rivelli has an amazing 33% win rate this year but most of those were at AP on the flubber. 0 for 6 in graded stakes.
Bethlehem Road 10/1
Rodriguez / D Curry
Tried stretching out last time , here at Parx in the Smarty Jones, to no avail. Was dead last in the Haskell before that. And before that, a 4th place (out of 5) effort in the Ohio derby. But if you’re a horse-for-course bettor, you’ll like his first three races this year, all here and all gate-to-wire wins.
Get Hammered 12/1
I Ortiz / Rivelli
Another Rivelli entry and another coming off an impressive gate-to-wire win, this one at Canterbury in a N2L(don’t know why he didn’t try an N1L first). This will be only his fourth lifetime race (third this year) , so you could make a case that no one knows how good he is yet. Also, the win at Canterbury was his first try (out of three) on dirt so maybe he’s found his surface. Irad is another feather in his cap.
War Tocsin 20/1
J Bisono / U St. Lewis
Overworked gelding who will line up for his 12th race this year, his eighth at Parx. Took ten races to win his maiden, three back. Strange decision by connections to run him in two stakes races before that win. Hasn’t scored higher than a 76 beyer.
War Birdle 20/1
R Silvera / J F Noble
At least this longshot is coming off two straight wins, albeit in claiming races, the last at Parx in a $20k claimer where he scored a 92 beyer, his best so far. If you are looking for a presser who doesn’t need the lead, likes the track, at huge odds. On the other hand, the trainer has only won two this year. And for some reason, the jock who rode his last two (Castillo) is not aboard, although he is at the track in most of the other races. Weird.
Pace
There are a lot of need-the-lead types including the
,
,
,
(maybe)
, so things should get interesting when the meltdown happens.
Bets
On paper, the race is between the
and
. The
is faster early (127 to 109), the
faster late (92 to 58).
has the better late kick but darn, he’ll have a lot of horse flesh to pass.
WIN
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EXACTA
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EXACTA BOX
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