Further Ado favored in Penn Derby; Always a Runner seeks Cotillion rebound

Further Ado, the beaten favorite in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Haskell (G1), has been installed as the 2-1 choice in Saturday’s $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1). In the sister race for fillies, the $1 million Cotillion (G1), Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine Always a Runner hopes to regain her winning touch at Parx.

Pennsylvania Derby (G1) – Race 14, 5:48 p.m. ET

Intermittently dominant, Further Ado can look either monstrous or tame. The Brad Cox trainee has saved his most spectacular performances for Keeneland, where he ran away with a maiden by 20 lengths last fall and demolished the Blue Grass (G1) by 11 lengths. That affinity would make him intriguing for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland, if he can bolster his candidacy here. 

Further Ado’s record is otherwise mixed. Although he came back to earth when 11th in the Kentucky Derby, he’d won his other two starts at Churchill Downs in last year’s Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and in the June 7 Matt Winn (G3) over a game Our Moneyman. But The Puma has beaten him in both meetings. Further Ado was a comeback second to The Puma earlier this season in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). In his latest start in the Haskell, Further Ado was one spot behind The Puma when fifth in the Monmouth Park slop.

The respective third and fourth in the Haskell, Iron Honor and The Puma, both add blinkers at Parx. Iron Honor initially wore blinkers, including in his Gotham (G3) score. Trainer Chad Brown took them off ahead of the Preakness (G1), where Iron Honor finished second. 

The Puma’s lone win came in the Tampa Bay feature, but the Gustavo Delgado pupil just missed by a nose in the Florida Derby (G1). Scratched from the Kentucky Derby with a setback, he rallied for fourth off the layoff in the Haskell and again took fourth in the Travers (G1). Headgear could help him secure a better tactical position. 

Louisiana-bred Our Moneyman backed up his Matt Winn effort with another hard-trying second in the Indiana Derby (G3), which has turned out to be a key race. While the victorious Leading Change went on to upset the Travers, Indiana Derby fourth Zihnal moved forward to dominate the West Virginia Derby (G3). 

Our Moneyman subsequently sold for the top price of $2 million at Fasig-Tipton’s July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale. Remaining with trainer Bret Calhoun, the Mr. Money colt will make his first start in the colors of Saudi-based KAS Stables. 

The Todd Pletcher-trained Sassmaster will try to become the latest up-and-comer to crash the party. The son of Hall of Famer Curlin broke his maiden at Churchill Downs June 27 and cleared his entry-level allowance condition over this 1 1/8-mile trip at Saratoga.

Rounding out the field are Withers S. and New York Derby hero Talk to Me Jimmy, most recently second after a troubled start in the Albany; Ellis Park Derby winner Igniter; and the top three from the local Smarty Jones S. – Micanopy, Ponder and Dream, and Freedom’s Echo. 

Cotillion (G1) – Race 13, 4:58 p.m. ET

Always a Runner, who didn’t even make her debut until February, progressed rapidly to win the Gazelle (G3) and captured the Kentucky Oaks in just her third start. But the Brown trainee has been unable to contain Counting Stars ever since, settling for second in both the Acorn (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1). With no Counting Stars here, Always a Runner rates as the 8-5 morning-line favorite to get back in the win column.

Measure, a stablemate of Counting Stars, represents Mark Casse in this 1 1/16-mile spot. Third in the Coaching Club, Measure improved to miss by only a neck in the Alabama (G1) last out, where Counting Stars wound up third.

Five-time Cotillion winner Steve Asmussen relies on Iron Orchard. Last year’s Frizette (G1) scorer, she just crushed the Fleet Indian S. versus fellow New York-breds at Saratoga. Another prominent juvenile filly of 2025, Demoiselle (G2) romper Zany, has lost her swagger of late. The Pletcher pupil was sixth as the lukewarm favorite in the Kentucky Oaks and fourth in the Coaching Club.

Black-Eyed Susan (G2) winner My Miss Mo recently added the Monmouth Oaks (G3) over Bodacious Bay, now her stablemate as a new recruit to the Saffie Joseph Jr. barn. Also renewing rivalry are the top two from the local prep, the Cathryn Sophia S. – Cox’s blueblood Tap to Open and Ms Sophistication. 

Undercard stakes

Three-year-old sprinters get their turn in the $400,000 Gallant Bob (G2) (race 12, 4:03 p.m. ET), a six-furlong dash known to produce Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) candidates. The competitive field of 12 includes Stradale, who goes turf-to-dirt for Steve Asmussen; the Joseph-trained quartet of Bravaro and Langvad (the top two from the Robert Hilton Memorial), Dr. Kapur, and Ramajay; West Virginia-bred Ryan’s Run, the Hilton Memorial third; California shipper Captivator from the John Sadler barn; and local hero Mailata. 

The $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile (race 11, 3:30 p.m. ET) could have Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) implications. Bracket Buster, who came off the bench to demolish the Aug. 9 West Virginia Governor’s S., meets $3.7 million-earner Saudi Crown, the 2023 Pennsylvania Derby hero. Hall of Fame and the top two from last year’s edition, Nelson Avenue and Dilger, are others to note.

The mammoth 15-race card, which begins at 10:35 a.m. ET, features a total of eight stakes.

The $150,000 Philly Special S. (race 7, 1:27 p.m. ET) for fillies and mares kicks off the stakes action. Scalable, Pronghorn, and Sugar Fish rank as the protagonists in the mile and 70-yard affair.

Quint’s Brew, who pushed champion Book’em Danno in Monmouth’s Mr. Prospector S., tops the $150,000 Stable Recovery S. (race 8, 1:56 p.m. ET) at 6 1/2 furlongs. Other contenders include Parx stalwarts Maximus Meridius, Fire Pit, and Buccherino, along with New York shippers Vibe and Ignite the Light. 

The companion $150,000 Liberty Bell S. (race 9, 2:26 p.m. ET) for female sprinters has lured Arkansas-bred money-spinner Haulin Ice, fellow graded veterans Irish Maxima and Kappa Kappa, and comebacker Volleyballprincess. 

Dirt marathon specialist Parchment Party (race 10, 2:57 p.m. ET) looms large in the $150,000 Greenwood Cup, where he aims to rebound from a tough beat as the defending champion in the Birdstone S. Multiple Grade 3-placed San Siro has the class if he can stay the 1 1/2-mile distance.