Was it a tale of two trips or did the best horse just win that day at Monmouth Park? You be the judge.

While subsequent GI Runhappy Travers S. runner-up Cyberknife awaited racing room leaving the quarter pole, the hard-ridden Taiba began to wind up beneath Mike Smith with a four-wide blitz. Florent Geroux, meanwhile, found a seam aboard the GI Arkansas Derby winner along the rail as favored 'Rising Star' Jack Christopher (Munnings) began to back out of it at the furlong marker. Cyberknife ran to daylight from there and outbattled the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby winner by a game head in a race that didn't deserve a loser.

“He's a Grade I horse and it's a Grade I race,” trainer Brad Cox said of Cyberknife and Saturday's $1-million affair. “And look, I'm excited about matching up with Taiba. He's a very good horse, a Grade I winner in his own right. There are some other very good horses in the race. It looks like a really good group of horses.”

That “really good group of horses” also includes the rail-drawn GISW Zandon (Upstart), who should appreciate the turnback to nine furlongs following a third-place finish in the Travers; the Cox-trained GIII Ohio Derby winner and GII Jim Dandy S. third Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile); the top three finishers of the GIII West Virginia Derby–Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), 'Rising Star' We the People (Constitution) and Simplification (Not This Time); and GI Curlin Florida Derby winner and Ohio Derby runner-up White Abarrio (Race Day), who finished a puzzling seventh last out in the Haskell.

Saturday in the Parx…

The loaded 13-race program at Parx also features four other graded events, led by the GI Cotillion for 3-year-old fillies.

In addition to seeking a record fourth Pennsylvania Derby victory with 5-2 morning-line favorite Taiba, Hall of Famer Bob Baffert will also ship in Cotillion second-choice Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) from his Santa Anita base. The runaway GIII Las Virgenes S. heroine has been training lights out since finishing second as the favorite in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. May 20.

“She is training really well,” Baffert said. “I could have run her in a softer spot. This will be a class check for her.”

After chasing home runaway division leader Nest (Curlin) in Saratoga's GI Coaching Club American Oaks and GI Alabama S., the classy Secret Oath (Arrogate) seeks her first win since capturing the GI Kentucky Oaks. She is the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

“She is only getting stronger,” Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said. “She sure is filling out and getting better and holding a lot of weight. She is probably maturing into the filly that we wanted her to be.”

Todd Pletcher will be represented by a formidable trio in Alabama third Goddess of Fire (Mineshaft), streaking local Cathryn Sophia S. winner and 'Rising Star' Green Up (Upstart) and GIII Monmouth Oaks heroine and 'Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings).

The card also features wide-open renewals of the GII Gallant Bob S. and GIII Turf Monster S., while a field of nine marathoners will line up for the GIII Greenwood Cup.

The day's graded stakes action is rounded out by Saturday evening's GIII Dogwood S. at Churchill Downs, featuring the return of champion and 'Rising Star' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner), who was a vet scratch at the gate prior to Belmont's GI Acorn S. June 11; and Belmont at the Big A's GIII Athenia S.

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Santana travelled to Parx on Saturday for Pennsylvania Derby Day. It's been quite a while since Santana had ridden a 108-1 shot in a graded stakes and while the win on Hollywood Talent in the Grade 3 Turf Monster shocked the betting public, it wasn't a surprise to Santana. Before riding on a regular basis for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Santana rode on a regular basis at Delaware Park for trainer Juan Vazquez.

“I was riding everything for him,” said Santana. “Everything I ride for him I have a shot.”

The 10-year-old Hollywood Talent and Santana were seventh early in the field of nine. They were three wide down the backstretch and moved into third around the turn passing Admiral Abe in deep stretch to a 1-1/4 length win in 59.51.

“He was traveling beautiful and I was really happy with him, when we turned for home and when I asked him the horse really responded well,” said Santana.

Trainer Steve Asmussen gave a leg up to Santana on the race favorite Clairiere in the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx for three-year-old fillies at one mile and one-sixteenth on the main track. Santana settled Clairiere in sixth in the field of eight. He asked her on the turn and the duo swung out into the stretch. With five lined up across the track, Clairiere circled the field and cruised to a 2-1/2-length score in 1:44.31.

“I broke her maiden last year at Churchill Downs and she's such a sweetheart and I was really comfortable with her and she kicked on really well,” said Santana. “I had too much horse and I was just waiting turning for home.”

Santana then travelled to Remington Park for Oklahoma Derby Day on Sunday. Riding for Steve Asmussen, Santana won the Kip Deville Stakes for two-year-olds at six furlongs on the dirt aboard Concept. Going straight to the lead out of the gate, Santana and Concept were never headed fending off a late run by Tejano Twist for a 1-1/2-length win in 1:10.12.

Santana's weekly statistics were 17-3-5-3 for $1,184,535 in total purses to lead all jockeys.

The other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Abel Cedillo with a stakes win at Los Alamitos, Irad Ortiz, Jr. with two graded stakes, Joel Rosario with two graded stakes and Edgard Zayas with a stakes win at Gulfstream Park.

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Saturday, Chris Griffin will call his first Pennsylvania Derby as the new voice of Parx Racing. He was hired on March 24.

“Trying to replace a legend like Keith Jones and coming here, it's been a seven-year ride for me,” Griffin said. “I have to pinch myself a little bit because I take a look at the rundown of the fields and these are serious racehorses that we have. It takes a lot of memorizing and a lot of studying, and just trying to stay relaxed. With two one-million-dollar races, it's just exciting, and it's a good time to be here.”

“Keith Jones is still texting me and giving me a shout,” he said. “He's like, “are you excited? Are you nervous?” I'm pretty much like all of that Keith. You try to relax the best you can. It's going to feel like a different day no matter what, but were excited. Its big racing, big horses with 13 races on the card. You look at a race like this (Pennsylvania Derby), and these are the best horses in the country, and to be here for these races I'm humbled by it because I get to call the action,” added Griffin.

As a fresh face among those who ply their trade announcing races from atop racetracks in what is considered one of the toughest jobs in racing, the Santa Monica, Calif. native's journey to the booth began far west of Bensalem, Penn.

“I started out at the Humboldt County Fair and got an opportunity there to call races after my stint being the voice of the Harlem Globetrotters,” said Griffin. “Sam Houston was a great experience for me to try and catch some Grade 3 races and try to build up the resume a little bit. Then when this opportunity came up, I got lucky. I popped in and here we are.”

Saturday will be the biggest day of racing at this point in Griffin's young career. The work and preparation that announcers put into a long, stakes filled day can vary depending on the experience as well as the certain challenges that can arise.

“I don't try and change the mechanics too much,” Griffin said. “I think if you start thinking about it a little too much you kind of psyche yourself out a little bit. I looked at the fields, and the two-year-old races are a little tougher because there's first time starters, and you don't really know them.”

“There are silks that I'm familiar with from the local connections, and that'll help me color in the program. I like to color in the program the night before the big race. You pretty much know now who's in what post position and who is where, but the only thing I can't prepare for is what happens during a race. The unexpected can always happen. You have to be prepared for it, but you can't prepare for it … if that makes sense.”

Griffin went on to say, “We haven't run a ton of mile and an eighth (Pennsylvania Derby distance) races on the main track since I've been here so that will be a little bit different. We definitely didn't have a mile and a half here like the Greenwood Cup, so some of the distances will be a little bit different, but other than that I treat it as another racing day here at Parx. We have a tremendous TV crew and staff and everybody is working hard to put things in place. At that point I want to be done by 9 am on Saturday morning and just jump in the booth and be like alright here we go.”

Racing can be a small world at times, and on Saturday, Griffin and Trainer Doug O'Neill, who will saddle 8-5 morning-line favorite Hot Rod Charlie in the Pennsylvania Derby, share a common bond which began 2,735 miles from Bensalem.

“It's so funny, Doug and I go way back,” said Griffin. “I was probably in my twenties running around and somebody told me that Doug O'Neill went to St. Monica's. I said, 'I went to St. Monica's,' which is a high school in Santa Monica, a private school, maybe six-hundred students or something like that.

“Doug had gone there before me. I went and tapped him on the shoulder, and was like, 'hey Doug O'Neill, I heard you went to St. Monica's, I'm Chris Griffin, I went there.' He was like 'Oh I know you. You were the quarterback with the championship football team.' It was the 1998 season. I graduated in 1999. We won our (California Interscholastic Federation) football championship. He knew all about it.

“Ever since then, we've been connected and when we see each other we say, 'Oh yeah, what's going on with St. Monica's?” said Griffin. “It's just one of those things. We're connected in a weird way for life. It's a cool little back story. It's nice to see him and hang out with him. It's fun to see Doug here on site.”

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When the son of Street Sense enters the starting gate for the Grade 1, $1 million race, it will be just the fourth start for Speaker's Corner and second this year. All of the eight other runners have more race day experience.

Of the other Derby runners, two of them – I Am Redeemed and Americanrevolution – will be making the Pennsylvania Derby their fifth career start.

The lack of seasoning might be cause for concern to those who like Speaker's Corner, but that anxiety should dissipate when you see who is training him. Hall of Famer Bill Mott is not sending Speaker's Corner to Parx because he wants to load up on Philly Cheese Steaks.

Speaker's Corner's highly anticipated return to the races came Aug. 14 at Saratoga in an allowance, a seven-furlong race he won easily by 5 ¼ lengths.

“It was everything we expected and a little bit more,” Mott said. “I was happy with it, for sure. I wasn't sure if the seven-eighths would be enough ground for him. I thought they would run him off his feet a little bit early in the race.”

That didn't happen. The talent the colt showed as a 2-year-old was still there despite a long layoff. He broke his maiden in his second start last October at Belmont and some of the horses he beat that day included Caddo River, Greatest Honour, Miles D and Pennsylvania Derby rival Bourbonic.

After that, an ankle injury put him on the equine disabled list for a while and a spring-time virus that went through Mott's barn delayed his return even longer.

It was worth the wait. Mott is asking him to take a gigantic step forward as he tries graded stakes company for the first time.

“We have always felt we belonged with this group,” Mott said. “We have the one race under our belt and it's working out well.”

Speaker's Corner, who will be ridden by Jose Ortiz, is 12-1 on the Derby morning line.

Mott will also saddle Juddmonte's Obligatory in the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion. The daughter of two-time Horse of the Year Curlin finished fifth in the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga in her last start on Aug. 7.

“The big thing about her is that it is a two-turn test,” Mott said about the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion.

“We know she's quite effective at seven-eighths and a flat mile at one turn. This is a bit of a fact-finding mission for us to figure out if the configuration of the race is going to suit her. We'll see.”

Ortiz also has the mount on Obligatory, who is 10-1 on the Cotillion morning line.

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TVG's Rich Perloff will be trackside with exclusive interviews, analysis and handicapping selections throughout the card. In addition to the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1), the card will also feature some of the top three-year-old fillies in the country in the $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1).

It was announced on Tuesday that Medina Spirit, the 2-1 morning line favorite, would be a scratch out of the race leaving a field of nine. Hot Rod Charlie, disqualified from his first-place finish in the TVG Haskell (G1) and placed seventh for interference in the stretch, will be trying to earn his second stakes win of the year for trainer Doug O'Neill. The bay son of Oxbow was third in the Kentucky Derby (G1) and second in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and will have Flavien Prat aboard. Midnight Bourbon, second in the Travers Stakes (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) for trainer Steve Asmussen, will have Ricardo Santana, Jr. in the irons.

The $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1) drew a field of nine and is expected to go to post with eight contenders with the scratch of Private Mission. Clairiere, a homebred for Stonestreet Stables, is the 2-1 morning line favorite for Steve Asmussen. Ricardo Santana, Jr. will be aboard the daughter of Curlin who was last seen finishing second in the Alabama Stakes (G1).

The undercard will also feature multiple Grade 1 winner Jackie's Warrior as he faces six rivals in the $300,000 Gallant Bob Stakes (G2). Trained by Steve Asmussen, the bay colt was last seen winning the H. Allen Jerkens (G1) at Saratoga by a neck. Regular rider Joel Rosario will retain the mount.

Three-year-olds will also take center stage at Remington Park on Sunday and TVG's Dave Weaver will be reporting live from the track featuring a twelve-race card anchored by the $400,000 Oklahoma Derby (G3). The field of eight includes Warrant, the 5-2 morning line favorite for trainer Brad Cox. Bred and owned by Twin Creeks Farm, the son of Constitution won the Texas Derby in May and was second in the West Virginia Derby (G3). Joel Rosario has the mount.

In addition to racing from the Parx Racing and Remington Park, TVG will also be featuring Los Alamitos, Gulfstream Park and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

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Juddmonte's Obligatory will make her seventh career start and third consecutive Grade 1 try on Saturday for Hall of Fame Trainer Bill Mott. The filly by Curlin fell short by a half-length to Search Results in the Acorn at Belmont Park then finished fifth in the Test at Saratoga in her last start on August 7.

“The big thing for her is that it is a two-turn test,” Mott said. “We had only one two-turn race when she was quite inexperienced. She was not effective that day because of her inexperience. We're hoping she got more races under her belt. We know she's quite effective at seven-eighths and a flat mile at one turn. It's an experiment for us. I know it's a big race and she's doing well. I think she competes with those horses at a flat mile or a one-turn race. We have to see how she gets along at two turns.”

Previously, the Kentucky-bred filly began her career in the fall at Belmont Park as a 2-year-old and finished fourth. She then returned to break her maiden in her first start as a sophomore and followed up with a fourth-place finish in the Fair Grounds Oaks on March 20. Her strongest performance came in the Grade 2 Eight Belles at Churchill Downs on April 30, when she closed from last to win by a length at odds of 16 to 1.

Obligatory will break from the rail under regular rider Jose Ortiz at odds of 10 to 1.

Baoma Corporation's Private Mission will ship east from her Del Mar, California home and come to Parx in search of her third straight victory after winning against allowance company at Santa Anita then besting six others in the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar.

The filly by Into Mischief has been training well towards Saturday according to Hall of Fame Trainer Bob Baffert and will break from post seven under Flavien Prat.

“We will figure out a plan on game day,” Baffert said. “I think seven is ok. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't.”

Private Mission is 9 to 2 on the morning line.

Rounding out the field is: Allworthy from post 2 for trainer Joseph Saffie Jr., and jockey Florent Geroux at odds of 12 to 1. Will's Secret will break from post 3 for trainer Dallas Stewart and jockey Jon Court at 12 to 1. Maracuja drew post 4 for trainer Rob Atras and jockey Kendrick Carmouche at 8 to 1. Army Wife will run from post 5 for trainer Michael Maker and will be ridden by Joel Rosario at odds of 7 to 2. Clairiere runs from post 6 for Hall of Fame Trainer Steve Asmussen and will be piloted by Irad Ortiz Jr at 2 to 1. Always Carina trained by Chad Brown breaks from post 8 and will be ridden by Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez at odds of 6 to 1. Leader of the Band obtained post 9 for trainer John Servis and retains rider Frankie Pennington at 12 to 1.

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Trainer Butch Reid, Jr. said the sophomore daughter of Nyquist is working towards a long-term goal of the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion, a 1 1/16-mile test for sophomore fillies on September 25 at Parx. It was just the second work back for Vequist, who captured the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile fillies last out in November at Keeneland.

“She did very well this morning,” said Reid, Jr. “I had her galloping out in 1:01 and 2 and on out in about 1:15. She's fitter than I thought she was. She's actually a little ahead of schedule. I wanted her ready to go five-eighths on the first of August and she's a little ahead of that. I'm very happy with her progress. She's coming along nicely. If everything works out, she could run here before the end of the meet.”

The talented dark bay, out of the Mineshaft mare Vero Amore, graduated by 9 1/2-lengths in the Grade 1 Spinaway last summer at Saratoga.

St. Omer's Farm and Christopher J. Feifarek's Beren posted a sharp 46.60 half-mile bullet work Friday on the main track. The Weigelia sophomore has won his last three starts, capturing the Gold Fever and off-the-turf Paradise Creek at Belmont ahead of a last-out score in the Crowd Pleaser on June 22 at Parx.

Initially under consideration for the nine-furlong $120,000 Curlin on July 30, Reid Jr. said the fast work has him considering the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2, $200,000 Amsterdam on August 1.

“It looks like he came out of it well, but it's made me rethink my strategy a little bit,” Reid, Jr. said. “It's hard to think about coming back at a mile and an eighth for the Curlin, when there's the Amsterdam there. Plus, two more days might be very helpful for him.”

Reid, Jr. said Swilcan Stable and LC Racing's Mainstay, a 2-year-old half-sister to stablemate Vequist, has come out of her runner-up effort to Pretty Birdie in the Grade 3 Schuylerville on Opening Day July 15 in good order and will now point to the 6 1/2-furlong Grade 2, $200,000 Adirondack on August 8.

A 7 3/4-length maiden winner on June 4 over sloppy going at Monmouth, Mainstay bobbled at the start of her graded stakes debut and was unable to reel in a runaway Pretty Birdie.

“She lost concentration coming down the lane. I don't know if it was the crowd, but she ducked in when I thought she had dead aim on the other horse [Pretty Birdie],” Reid Jr. said. “I really think she'll learn from the experience. She came out of it so well, we're thinking about taking a shot at the Adirondack. She hasn't missed an oat since the race and has been training very well.”

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Reid said the main target for Vequist is the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion, a 1 1/16-mile test for sophomore fillies on September 25 at Parx.

“She's been training lightly down at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland and she'll be coming back to my barn at Parx in the next 10 days,” said Reid, Jr. “We're looking forward to a fall campaign with her and have our eye on the Cotillion. I could see us possibly getting her a start at the end of Saratoga. We're excited to get her back in action.”

A dark bay daughter of Nyquist out of the Mineshaft mare Vero Amore, Vequist graduated at second asking with a 9 1/2-length romp in the Grade 1 Spinaway in September at Saratoga. The talented filly followed with a second to Dayoutoftheoffice in the Grade 1 Frizette in October at Belmont before turning the tables on that foe with a two-length score in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in November at Keeneland.

Vequist has been on the shelf since finishing ninth in her seasonal debut in the Grade 2 Davona Dale in February at Gulfstream Park.

Reid, Jr has nominated a pair of unraced fillies owned by LC Racing to the $150,000 Astoria, a 5 ½-furlong sprint for juvenile fillies on Thursday, June 3, including Disco Ebo and Mainstay, who is a half-sister to Vequist.

“One of them will definitely come, but I'm not sure which one just yet,” said Reid, Jr. “They've put up a maiden race here [at Parx] and I'm thinking one will go in there. It's tough to ship and start in a stakes race first time out, but sometimes you have to take a chance.”

Reid said Mainstay, by Astern, is stockier than Vequist.

“She's a different horse than Vequist. She's a little shorter and a little more stout,” said Reid, Jr. “She has more of a sprinter type body where Vequist was long and languid and has a big, giant stride on her. This filly is a little more compact and speedier. She has a good turn of foot and I think she's a top-quality filly. We'll have some fun with her.”

Maintstay, bred in Kentucky by Swilcan Stables, breezed in company with Disco Ebo through their first three timed works at Parx before Reid Jr. said he was forced to separate them.

“They were very competitive and it was a really good match,” said Reid, Jr. “They went through their early paces together and then I was trying to get them to slow down a little bit, so I separated them for their last couple of breezes. We're very fortunate with this group. We're excited about our 2-year-olds this year.”

In her two works since being separated from Disco Ebo, Mainstay posted a bullet half-mile in 47.03 on May 15 at Parx and followed up with a sharp five-eighths from the gate in 1:00.02 on May 22 on the same track.

Disco Ebo, by Weigelia, is out of the Disco Rico mare Katarica Disco, who has produced eight winning foals to race, including stakes winners Fat Kat and Smooth B, who are full siblings to Disco Ebo.

Also among the talented family are Disco Rose, third in the 2015 Grade 2 Demoiselle at the Big A, who posted a record of 36-4-9-4 with purse earnings of $449,280; and the stakes-placed Pink Princess, who boasted a ledger of 66-16-19-7 with purse earnings of $572,135.

“There's four of them that made over $400,000 that are full brothers and sisters to her and I've had them all,” said Reid Jr. “Disco Rose was graded stakes placed in New York and made over $400,00 and Pink Princess made over a half-million. It's been a good family for us and we've taken nearly $2 million out of that mare. She's been very good to us and this one looks like she'll fit into that line as well.”

Disco Ebo, bred in Pennsylvania by St. Omer's Farm, worked a half-mile in 47.01 from the gate on May 19 at Parx and followed with another half-mile in 48.93 on May 26.

Reid Jr. said he will likely enter Susan C. Quack and Christopher J. Feifarek's Beren in Sunday's $100,000 Paradise Creek, a seven-furlong sprint for sophomores on the Widener turf.

The Pennsylvania homebred captured the six-furlong Gold Fever last out on May 9 at Belmont. By Weigelia, Beren is out of the multiple graded stakes winning Diamond mare Silmaril.

On June 17, 2006, Weigelia set a then Belmont inner turf course record for six furlongs of 1:07.04 in an allowance optional-claiming event.

“Beren is doing very well and we're thinking about entering him in the Paradise Creek,” said Reid, Jr. “His father held the track record at six furlongs on the turf for a while, so we may come up this weekend and try him on the turf. If it rained off, that wouldn't hurt either.

“Both the father and mother turf,” added Reid, Jr. “The mother is out of a Diamond stallion and he gets nothing but turf horses. We have to try him on it before the summer is over, so we may as well try it now.”

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“Others tracks have had a lot of success both from a wagering stand point and being able to create a buzz running several of their major races on the same card,” explained David Osojnak, Director of Racing for Parx. “The goal is to continue to expand the PA Derby/Cotillion card into one of the premier days in the fall racing schedule.”

Tuesday, Aug. 24 will be the inaugural PA Derby/Cotillion Preview Day, featuring the Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes and the Cathryn Sophia Stakes as well as the always exciting Parx Dash (G3). As an added incentive Parx will be awarding a $50,000 bonus to both the owner and trainer of any horse which wins both the Smarty Jones and the PA Derby as well as a separate $50,000 bonus for connections that sweep both the Cathryn Sophia and the Cotillion.

“This added incentive is emblematic of PARX Racing's and the PTHA's commitment to Pennsylvania's horseracing industry and community,” Osojnak said. “Several of our 2019 stakes participants went on to compete in the Breeders' Cup races in 2019 with Spun to Run (Smarty Jones S. winner, and Pa Derby participant) winning the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) for (Juan) Carlos Guerrero. With our stakes schedule Parx is an ideal place to condition and compete good up-and coming horses.”

Parx will host 12 Pa Bred Stakes in 2021 awarding $1.2 million dollars in purses highlighted by five Pennsylvania bred stake races on PA Day at the Races, Monday Aug. 23.

The stakes schedule rounds out with Owners Appreciation Day on Labor Day Sept. 6, Hall of Fame Day on Oct. 12, and the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes on Dec. 7.

RACE DAY LASIX IS PROHIBITED IN ALL GRADED STAKES.

2021 Parx Racing Stakes Schedule

Tuesday, April 27, 2021
$100,000 PAGE MCKENNEY HANDICAP (PA-Bred), 3 & Up – 7 Furlongs
$100,000 UNIQUE BELLA STAKES (PA-Bred), F & M 3 & Up – 7 Furlongs

Tuesday, June 22, 2021
$100,000 CROWD PLEASER STAKES (PA-Bred), 3 YO – 1 & 1/16 Miles (Turf)
$100,000 POWER BY FAR STAKES (PA-Bred), F & M 3 & Up – 5 Furlongs (Turf)

Monday, August 23, 2021
$100,000 BANJO PICKER SPRINT (PA-Bred), 3 & Up – 6 Furlongs
$100,000 DR. TERESA GAROFALO MEMORIAL (PA-Bred), F & M 3 & Up – 6 Furlongs
$100,000 MARSHALL JENNEY HANDICAP (PA -Bred), 3 & Up – 5 Furlongs (Turf)
$100,000 MRS. PENNY STAKES (PA -Bred), F & M 3 & Up – 1 & 1/16 Miles (Turf)
$100,000 STORM CAT STAKES (PA – Bred), 3 & Up – 1 & 1/16 Miles

Tuesday, August 24, 2021
$150,000 CATHRYN SOPHIA STAKES, 3 YO F – 1 Mile 70 Yards
$200,000 PARX DASH – Grade III, 3 & Up – 5 Furlongs (Turf)
$300,000 SMARTY JONES STAKES – Grade III, 3 YO – 1 & 1/16 Miles

Monday, September 6, 2021
$100,000 ROAMIN RACHEL STAKES, F & M 3 & Up – 6 & 1/2 Furlongs
$100,000 SALVATORE M. DEBUNDA PTHA PRESIDENT'S CUP, F & M 3 & Up – 1 & 1/8 Miles (Turf)

Saturday, September 25, 2021
$100,000 ALPHABET SOUP HANDICAP (PA-Bred), 3 & Up – 1 & 1/16 Miles (Turf)
$100,000 PLUM PRETTY (PA-Bred), F & M 3 & Up – 1 & 1/16 Miles
$200,000 PARX DIRT MILE (Listed), 3 & Up – 1 Mile
$200,000 GREENWOOD CUP – Grade III, 3 & Up – 1 & 1/2 Miles
$200,000 DR. JAMES PENNY MEMORIAL – Grade III, F & M 3 & Up – 1 & 1/16 Miles (Turf)
$300,000 TURF MONSTER – Grade III, 3 & Up – 5 Furlongs (Turf)
$300,000 GALLANT BOB STAKES – Grade II, 3 YO – 6 Furlongs
$1,000,000 COTILLION STAKES – Grade I, 3YO F – 1 & 1/16 Miles
$1,000,000 PENNSYLVANIA DERBY – Grade I, 3YO – 1 & 1/18 Miles

Tuesday, October 12, 2021
$100,000 M.P. BALLEZZI APPRECIATION MILE, 3 & Up – 1 Mile

Tuesday, December 7, 2021
$100,000 PENNSYLVANIA NURSERY STAKES (PA-Bred), 2 YO – 7 Furlongs

The post Pennsylvania Derby, Cotillion Return To Parx’s Lasix-Free Stakes Schedule In 2021 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Just matching last year is a lofty standard, with Street Band earning more than $1 million in 2019, including victories in the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks, Grade 3 Indiana Oaks and Parx's Grade 1 Cotillion, where her 2 1/4-length triumph remains the sensational filly Guarana's only defeat.

Street Band should get some relief in the ferocity of competition when she runs in Sunday's $100,000 Groupie Doll Stakes at Ellis Park, one of five stakes on the RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Derby card. Street Band is 0 for 3 in 2020, all against top-flight company: a very close third in the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic, a fading fourth in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes and a rallying fourth in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom in April in her last start.

“I think she had reached her peak early fall last year, late summer,” Jones said. “She was really doing well. She's doing just as well now, but she just has not looked like (she's) doing better. She looks like maybe she matured early, and we have not been as busy with her, and some of it due to the COVID.”

Jones is hoping the Groupie Doll is a steppingstone to Keeneland's Grade 1 Spinster. With the Breeders' Cup also at Keeneland this year, the major objective is getting Street Band back into the $2 million Distaff, a race in which she was eighth last year.

“We've only had three starts,” Jones said of 2020. “The Houston Ladies Classic, she had a wide trip, and I thought that was a really good race for her. In the Azeri, the track was really sloppy and I didn't think she ran her best race by any means. (Kentucky Oaks winner) Serengeti Empress got on an easy lead and just kept going. She's running good. I don't know if she's any better at 4 than she was at 3.”

Jones is known for being forthright anyway. But he also can speak candidly about Street Band as a co-owner with wife Cindy, Ray Francis of Henderson and with minority interests owned by Medallion Racing and MyRaceHorse Stable.

“I have as much on the line as they do,” Jones said. “So my partners have been very agreeable to do what we're doing. So it's worked out well.

“… The Groupie Doll is the premier race here,” the long-time Henderson resident continued. “Not knowing two months ago how the COVID was going to be doing, we just decided to stay home, try not to do a lot of outside traveling and maybe getting ourselves and our barn in jeopardy of getting quarantined. This is always a race we have on our radar for our fillies. I've run some Grade 1 winners in this race. It's a good race, and I love racing at Ellis Park on their track.”

Indeed, after finishing second in the 2012 Groupie Doll (then known as the Gardenia), Jones sent Joyous Victory to California, where she was second in the Grade 1 Zenyatta before the next spring returning for victory in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita. Groupie Doll herself finished third in the 2013 Gardenia before winning her second straight Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and female sprint championship. (Groupie Doll also won the 2011 Gardenia as a 3-year-old.)

Jockey Sophie Doyle, who has ridden Street Band for the past 13 of her 16 career starts, comes in from Iowa's Prairie Meadows to ride. She says she sees the signs that Street Band at 4 is the same as Street Band at 3. One thing that is different this year is that Doyle switched circuits and hasn't been able to be on the filly in most of her timed workouts.

“She's always been performing and trying hard,” Doyle said of the Street Band, the jockey's first Grade 1 winner. “… Street Band is just incredible. I've been so fortunate and blessed to come across a filly like her. We've been together from the very beginning. The past two years, it's been a development with each race we've gone into. I think it's been an important key for both of us that we've been able to progress together so well. She's highlighted my career in so many ways.”

Jones has another Groupie Doll contender in Istan Council, who last year defeated older horses by 10 3/4 lengths to win an Ellis Park allowance race.

“She really does well on this track,” Jones said. “And I love the fact that going a mile here is not a two-turn race. It's maybe a turn and three-quarters. We know she wants to go a little bit longer than the six furlongs we've been able to find to keep her at the one-turn. We haven't been able to find a true one-turn mile race for her. But she's coming into this race very well.”

Both fillies come into the race without their final scheduled workout, with Jones calling them off Tuesday because of the muddy track.

“We'll have to go into the race just off of gallops,” he said in a text update. “Uncharted waters for both of them.”

In addition to the Groupie Doll and $200,000 RUNHAPPY Ellis Park Derby, the other stakes Sunday are the $100,000 RUNHAPPY Juvenile,$100,000 RUNHAPPY Debutante and the $100,000 RUNHAPPY Audubon Oaks.

The post Jones Loaded With Street Band, Istan Council In Sunday’s Groupie Doll Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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