We have a loaded day of racing at Parx Racing this Saturday with several graded stakes races on the card. The main race of the day is the G1 Pennsylvania Derby that features HOT ROD CHARLIE and MIDNIGHT BOURBON to name a few. MEDINA SPIRIT was scratched by Trainer Bob Baffert on Tuesday after the post positions were revealed. He was quoted as saying “Medina looks good, he is training well, I didn’t like that draw. There is too much speed. It’s a tough race. I have a lot of respect for those other two horses. There is not much separating them, but I would be at a disadvantage. That’s why I’m passing.” Even without the potential Kentucky Derby winner, yes were still waiting on a final decision from the Kentucky Racing committee, the race should still be exciting.
The Pennsylvania Derby is carded as Race 12 on Saturday’s 13-race program at Saratoga Race Course. The first post is 12:05 p.m. ET.
Other notable races on Saturday at Parx Racing:
- Race 6: Plum Pretty Stakes (2:22 PM ET)
- Race 7: Parx Dirt Mile (2:51 PM ET)
- Race 8: G3 Greenwood Cup (3:20 PM ET)
- Race 9: G3 Turf Monster (3:51 PM ET)
- Race 10: G2 Gallant Bob Stakes (4:22 PM ET)
- Race 11: G1 Cotillion Stakes (5:02 PM ET)
- Race 13: Alphabet Soup Handicap (6:20 PM ET)
Pennsylvania Derby
Race Information:
- Track: Parx Racing (Bensalem, PA)
- Event Grade: Grade I
- Race: 12
- Post Time: 5:49 PM
- Length: 1 1/8 Miles
- Purse: $1,000,000
- Division: Open | 3 Years Old
- Surface: Turf
- Wagers: Daily Double/ Exacta/ 50 cent Trifecta/ 10 cent Superfecta
Field:
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Wgt | Trainer | M/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fulsome (KY) | Florent Geroux | 124 | Brad H. Cox | 10/1 |
| 2 | Keepmeinmind (KY) | Joel Rosario | 119 | Robertino Diodoro | 5/1 |
| 3 | Speaker’s Corner (KY) | Jose L. Ortiz | 119 | William I. Mott | 8/1 |
| 4 | Weyburn (ON) | Paco Lopez | 124 | James A. Jerkens | 10/1 |
| 5 | I Am Redeemed (PA) | Abner Adorno | 119 | Penny Pearce | 20/1 |
| 6 | Bourbonic (KY) | Kendrick Carmouche | 124 | Todd A. Pletcher | 12/1 |
| 7 | Hot Rod Charlie (KY) | Flavien Prat | 124 | Doug F. O’Neill | 8/5 |
| 8 | Midnight Bourbon (KY) | Ricardo Santana, Jr. | 124 | Steven M. Asmussen | 3/1 |
| 10 | Americanrevolution (NY) | Luis Saez | 122 | Todd A. Pletcher | 15/1 |
- The #9 Medina Spirit has been scratched
Horse Preview:
#1 FULSOME will try his luck again at Parx after winning the G3 Smarty Jones Stakes a little under a month ago. He ran a career best speed figure in that event and will run a similar distance here. Prior to that race he finished 3rd in the G3 Indiana Derby and won the G3 Matt Winn Stakes. This will be his first G1 Stakes attempt so we’ll see how he handles the tougher competition.
#2 KEEPMEINMIND will likely go off a shorter price as most horses will given that the morning line favorite is out. His only win comes back in 2020 when he captured the G2 Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs. However, he has faced some steep competition and may have an opportunity to get back in the winner’s circle here. He last race was a month ago when he ran third in the G1 Runhappy Travers Stakes at Saratoga. His speed figures from the last three races also indicate that he’s in great form.
#3 SPEAKER’S CORNER only has three starts to his name but has won two of them. He ran an impressive 107 speed figure his last out to win an Allowance race at Saratoga. The main concerns for this horse is 1, how will he handle the jump in class and 2, he’s only raced in dirt sprints so we have no idea how he’ll handle the increase in length and change in surface.
#4 WEYBURN will give his first G1 Stakes race ago after competing in several G2 Stakes and winning a G3 Stakes race. It’s an interesting move for sure to have this horse jump up to a G1 Stakes but this field isn’t particularly all that strong anymore given the scratches. He’s coming into this race off a two month layoff after finishing 4th in the G2 Jim Dandy back in July. In that race fellow entrant KEEPMEINMIND finished 2nd. We’ll see if this layoff allows him to be at full strength. Another interesting note for this horse is that it’ll be his first time racing on Turf.
#5 I AM REDEEMED has been impressive to say the least winning three of his first four starts. This horse has has also posted some impressive speed figures in his last two races (111, 110). In his last out he won the Storm Cat Stakes at Parx a month ago. He’s only ever raced at Parx so he’s familiar with the course. Another positive was he seemed to respond well to the increase in distance his last out compared to his previous races.
#6 BOURBONIC is another horse that has faced some G1 Stakes competition before but has never been able to find the winners circle. In his last race he finished 3rd in the West Virginia Derby. Prior to that, he ran in the G1 Kentucky Derby finishing 13th and the G1 Belmont Stakes finishing 5th. His last win comes back in April of this year where he captured the G2 Wood Memorial Stakes. He’s also raced at this course before earlier this year where he ran 2nd in a AOC.
#7 HOT ROD CHARLIE also raced in the G1 Belmont and G1 Kentucky Derby with some better success than BOURBONIC. He finished 3rd in the Kentucky Derby and 2nd in the Belmont Stakes. His last race out, the G1 Haskell Stakes, he won but was disqualified after drifting in front of MIDNIGHT BOURBON causing him to clip heels. With Medina Spirit scratched, this horse will go off as the favorite.
#8 MIDNIGHT BOURBON is off a 2nd place finish in the G1 Runhappy Travers Stakes at Saratoga. In that race, fellow entrant KEEPMEINMIND ran 4th. Prior to that race, he DNF in the Haskell as mentioned before due to HOT ROD CHARLIE cutting him off. He’ll be one of the main contenders in this race for sure as he seeks redemption from the Haskell. However, HOT ROD CHARLIE has seemed to have his number in the previous races they’ve faced off in.
#10 AMERICANREVOLUTION is another up and comer with winning three of his four career starts. In his last race, he posted a 108 speed figure winning the Albany Stakes at Saratoga. This will be another horse that may have some potential but will take a big step up in class here. Given the speed figure he posted in his last race at a Mile and an Eighth, I wouldn’t count him out.
Race Preview:
Well this race will definitely feature some speed. I AM REDEEMED, HOT ROD CHARLIE, and MIDNIGHT BOURBON will most likely all go to the front and try and push the pace given their running styles. SPEAKER’S CORNER, WEYBURN, and AMERICANREVOLUTION will try and hang off the pace which may be tough given the class of front runners in this race. Following up them will be the closers, FULSOME, KEEPMEINMIND, and BOURBONIC who will hope that the fast pace tires out the field and allows them to make a run down the stretch.
Robertino Diodoro who trains KEEPMEINMIND was quoted as saying this about the scratched of MEDINA SPIRIT “In a way you don’t mind seeing Medina Spirit out of there but with a horse like ours it’s going to take away a bit of the pace factor,” Diodoro said. “It helps a few horses, but not us.” However, the camps for HOT ROD CHARLIE and MIDNIGHT BOURBON were happy about the scratch as they had said it makes for an easier race. MEDINA SPIRIT is a front runner and would have likely pushed the pace a little more than the current horses in the field can.
Picks:
BEST BET WIN: 7 HOT ROD CHARLIE
LONGSHOT WIN: 3 SPEAKER’S CORNER
EXACTA PART WHEEL: 7/ 1, 3, 8
Best of luck, and as always you can find me on Twitter @GatorBetting and Instagram @Gator_Sports_Betting.
