Baeza, Gosger, Goal Oriented square off in Pennsylvania Derby

Third to Sovereignty and Journalism in both the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont (G1), Baeza gets his chance to take center stage in Saturday’s $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1). But he’s not the only one hoping to capitalize on the absence of those divisional heavyweights at Parx.

Gosger also has top form as the runner-up to Journalism in both the Preakness (G1) and Haskell (G1). Goal Oriented improved from a troubled fourth in the Preakness to a much closer third in the Haskell, while Magnitude bids to rebound from his remote third to Sovereignty in the Travers (G1). 

The 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby, the 14th of 15 races on a stakes-laden card, is scheduled to go off at 6 p.m. ET.

Baeza has sparked high hopes from the beginning, as the $1.2 million half-brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage and 2024 Belmont hero Dornoch. The John Shirreffs pupil was still on a learning curve in the spring, but punched his ticket to Churchill Downs with a terrific second to Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). 

Although Baeza couldn’t make history for his dam, Puca, in the Kentucky Derby, he was a rattling third after trouble. He was beaten further when a grinding third in the Belmont. Trying again in the Jim Dandy (G2) last time out at Saratoga, Baeza came his closest yet to Sovereignty and succumbed by just a length. 

Hector Berrios, who has helped Baeza achieve his best results, is back aboard. Installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite, the McKinzie colt will break from post 8 in a 10-horse field.

“There looks like there is going to be a lot of speed in the race,” Shirreffs said, “so you would hope he gets a nice position somewhere close, not too far back. I think Parx has a little bit of a speed bias, and you don’t want to be too far back. From all his experience this summer, he is pretty good at getting dirt in his face and being in between horses…I’m not too concerned about that. I just hope he breaks well and gets a good position.”

Goal Oriented, the 5-2 second choice on the morning line, is a fellow Southern California shipper. The Bob Baffert trainee won his first two starts before being thrown into the deep end in the Preakness and Haskell. By hot sire Not This Time, Goal Oriented picks up Irad Ortiz Jr. in post 6. 

“It’s a very competitive race,” said Baffert, who seeks a record-extending fifth victory in the Penn Derby. “He is doing well. Hopefully, we get a good trip, and he runs his race. That is all you can ask for. The talent is there. He is a big horse, and I think, with age, he is going to get better and better. It’s a tough race.”

Gosger (4-1) was also on an accelerated path for trainer Brendan Walsh this spring. A good-looking winner of the Lexington (G3) at Keeneland fresh off his maiden score, the gray nearly ran away with the Preakness. It took a whirlwind surge from the trouble-defying Journalism to deny him at Pimlico. In their Haskell rematch, Journalism caught Gosger again by the same half-length margin. 

With no Journalism to run him down here, Gosger aims to put his first Grade 1 trophy in the cabinet. The son of 2016 Kentucky Derby champion Nyquist keeps Luis Saez in the saddle at Parx, where he’s drawn post 9.

“There are some nice horses in there, but I wouldn’t swap him for anybody,” Walsh said. “We looked at the Travers, but realistically, his best chance of winning a Grade 1 this year was going to be against his own age group in this race. We did think about it, but like I said, we’ve given him time all year between starts, and this one seemed to fit his profile a bit better.”

Walsh has entered another Nyquist colt, David of Athens (12-1), who makes his stakes debut after an allowance romp at Ellis Park. Tyler Gaffalione is 2-for-2 aboard the lightly raced sophomore. 

“He’s a lovely horse,” Walsh said. “He won last year at Keeneland first time in a very salty maiden, and he got injured. We had to give him a bunch of time, and he came back and ran a good race at Churchill in the spring. Then he ran really well at Ellis last time. He’s got bags of talent. He’s a nice horse.”

Big Truzz (10-1) also comes off a resounding victory at the Henderson, Ky., oval, as the seven-length winner of the Ellis Park Derby. The Brian Lynch pupil previously mixed it up at the highest level when third in the Woody Stephens (G1). 

The Steve Asmussen-trained Magnitude (6-1) looked bound for the top earlier this season in the Risen Star (G2) at Fair Grounds, only to be sidelined by injury. The Not This Time colt returned in a similar vein with a front-running demolition job in the Iowa Derby. Unable to replicate that feat in the Travers, where connections felt he didn’t take to the track, Magnitude promises to flaunt his early speed with Ben Curtis.

Ohio Derby (G3) star Mo Plex (12-1) exits a distant third in the Jim Dandy, while Cherie DeVaux’s So Sandy (15-1) missed by a head in the Curlin S. at the Spa. The lone local hope, Happily Delusional (30-1), was only fourth in his Smarty Jones S. prep. Delaware-based sprinter Altobelli (50-1) appears to be overmatched, but he could affect the result by ramping up the pace.