Pennsylvania Derby Draws Eleven With $1 Million Purse and Breeders’ Cup Implications at Parx

The grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby, now carrying a $1 million purse, returns to Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pennsylvania on September 19, serving as one of the key late-season tests for three-year-olds aiming at the Breeders’ Cup and year-end honors. The mile-and-an-eighth contest drew the post-time favorite for this year’s Kentucky Derby, Further Ado, trained by Brad Cox.

First run at its current million-dollar level since the purse increase in 2007, the race has a history of producing top-class performers. Bayern set the track record of 1:46.96 in the 2014 edition before going on to capture the Breeders’ Cup Classic, while Western Playboy’s 17-length victory in 1989 remains the race’s most dominant performance.

The Derby headlines an eight-stakes card and is scheduled as the 14th race, with an expected post time of 5:48 pm Eastern. Here is a rundown of the eleven entrants by post position, with trainer, jockey, and morning-line odds:

• 1. Zihnal (Johnathan Thomas, John Velazquez, 8-1) — Wire-to-wire winner of the West Virginia Derby by 6 ¼ lengths last out after a fourth-place finish in the Indiana Derby. The Quality Road colt makes his sixth start at a fifth different track.
• 2. Iron Honor (Chad Brown, Jose Ortiz, 5-1) — Son of Nyquist won his first two starts including the Gotham Stakes, ran second in the Preakness, and was third in the Haskell. Has hit the top three in four of five career starts.
• 3. Our Moneyman (Brett Calhoun, Manny Franco, 8-1) — Louisiana-bred with three wins from nine starts, never worse than third. Was second in the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs Incorporated‘s flagship track in June, then a neck behind Travers winner Leading Change in the Indiana Derby.
• 4. Igniter (Rick Dutrow, Luis Saez, 8-1) — Has finished in the top three in seven of eight starts, with the lone miss coming at this distance. Won the Ellis Park Derby at one mile on August 9; the extra furlong is the question.

The race has evolved into a legitimate stepping stone to the Breeders’ Cup, with Triple Crown alumni and later-developing sophomores regularly converging in the Keystone State’s premier racing event.

What to watch

The Pennsylvania Derby is carded for September 19 as race 14 at Parx, with eight stakes races on the day. Further Ado’s performance could shape the Breeders’ Cup picture for the three-year-old division, and year-end award voting may hinge on the outcome. Entries, scratches, and any post-time adjustments will be confirmed by Parx Racing closer to race day.

Source: original release