Baeza favored for breakthrough victory in Pennsylvania Derby

With Sovereignty, the top 3-year-old in the country and leading candidate for Horse of the Year, and Journalism, the second-best 3-year-old and Preakness winner, waiting for the Breeders’ Cup, Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million, Pennsylvania Derby drew a contentious field of 10 looking to climb the divisional ladder. Baeza, considered the next best behind the top two, is set as the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

Baeza has finished behind either Sovereignty or Journalism, or both, since breaking his maiden. Trained by John Sherriffs, Baeza was tough in the Santa Anita Derby and came with a solid run in the Kentucky Derby. He was nowhere near Sovereignty in the Belmont but did come within a length of him in the Jim Dandy. Saturday’s distance of 1 1/8 miles won’t hinder Baeza, who gets Hector Berrios back aboard from post 8.

Perhaps the longshot with the best chance Saturday is Big Truzz, who won the Ellis Park Derby last out but still has yet to show his best. Trained by Brian Lynch, Big Truzz has flashed potential since his debut victory at Keeneland in April. He finished third behind top sprinter Patch Adams in a Churchill allowance and the Grade 1 Woody Stephens. Stretched out in the Indiana Derby, Big Truzz finished a head-scratching sixth as the favorite. While his best races have been around one turn, Big Truzz has a strong pedigree for two turns and has run fast enough races to spring an upset. Javier Castellano rides Big Truzz from post 7.

Gosger will likely be the second betting choice off his pair of runner-up finishes in the Preakness and Haskell, both behind Journalism. Prior to those two races, the Brendan Walsh trainee won the Grade 3 Lexington. In the Preakness, Gosger loomed the winner before Journalism came with a courageous rally to nail Gosger at the wire. Luis Saez will be aboard Saturday from post 9, at 4-1 on the morning line. Walsh also entered the lightly-raced David of Athens, who gets Tyler Gaffalione aboard from post 4.

Goal Oriented was fourth in the Preakness and third in the Haskell, and shows up in Saturday’s field with a solid chance. Trained by Bob Baffert, Goal Oriented needs to step forward and gets a rider change to Irad Ortiz Jr. from post 6. 

Magnitude drew a lot of attention headed into the Travers, as he appeared the lone speed against a small field. The only problem was that Sovereignty was in that field and crushed everybody. Magnitude set the pace and faded to third by more than 20 lengths. Prior to that, Magnitude returned from an injury to win the Iowa Derby, which was his first start since taking the Grade 2 Risen Star in February. Ben Curtis rides Magnitude from post 4 for trainer Steve Asmussen.

The only other stakes winner in the field is Mo Plex, who won the Grade 3 Ohio Derby two starts ago. That was his first start around two turns and after that victory, he ran fourth in the Jim Dandy. Joe Ramos will be back aboard from trainer Jeremiah Englehart from post 10. 

So Sandy ran a really good second in the Curlin Stakes last out and gets the rail under Kendrick Carmouche for trainer Cherie DeVaux.

Longshots Altobelli and Happily Delusional complete the field. 

Cotillion appears a three-horse race

The sister race to the Pennsylvania Derby is the Grade 1 Cotillion, set for one race prior. The Cotillion appears a three-horse race between Scottish Lassie, last-out winner of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, La Cara, a two-time Grade 1 winner this year, and Good Cheer, the Kentucky Oaks winner. 

Scottish Lassie is trending upwards, as her victory in the CCA Oaks was a 15 1/2-length romp. She did miss the Alabama with a slight injury but returns in this spot. Scottish Lassie also won the Grade 1 Frizette last year as a 2-year-old. Joel Rosario rides again from the rail for trainer Jorge Abreu. 

La Cara is looking to rebound from a fourth-place finish behind stablemate Nitrogen in the Alabama. Trained by Mark Casse, La Cara set the pace before fading to finish 14 lengths behind Nitrogen, the top 3-year-old filly. Dylan Davis gets back aboard from post 2.

Good Cheer flashed the most potential early, rattling off several stakes wins in the spring, including the Kentucky Oaks. Since then, the Brad Cox trainee has yet to find the winner’s circle, finishing fifth in the Acorn and second in the Alabama. Regular rider Luis Saez will ride from post 7.

Indy Bay, last out winner of the Charles Town Oaks, looms an upsetter for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and jockey Tyler Gaffalione.

Dry Powder ran second in the Alabama and won the Cathryn Sophia last out, the local prep for this race. 

Clicquot, Not Too Late, and Ourdaydreaminggirl complete the field. 

• The six-furlong, Grade 2 Gallant Bob drew a 10-horse field topped by graded stakes-placed Barnes, Grade 1-placed Neoequos, and stakes winners Donut God and Retribution. 

• The Parx Dirt Mile drew nine hard-hitting older horses, including Coastal Mission, who has won 14 of 28 starts.

• Mystic Lake is the clear horse to beat in the Liberty Bell but trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has also entered her at Gulfstream Park on Saturday.

• Seven were entered in the 1 1/2-mile, Grade 3 Greenwood Cup. The Brazilian-bred No Bien Ni Mal is an interesting new face off his last-out allowance win at Saratoga.

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