Cotillion | Horse Racing Free Tips

TVG To Broadcast Pennsylvania Derby Card Live From Parx This Saturday

Top sophomores Hot Rod Charlie and Midnight Bourbon will face off on Saturday in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) from Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn. and TVG will be broadcasting live throughout the thirteen-race card which includes eight total stakes races.

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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Obligatory Will Attempt ‘Two-Turn Test’ For Mott In Cotillion

The stage has been set for Saturday's 52nd Running of the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion Stakes as nine fillies will contest the one and one sixteenth miles on the main track at Parx Racing, Bensalem, Pa.

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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Vequist ‘A Little Ahead Of Schedule’ For 2021 Debut; Cotillion The Goal For Champion Filly

Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Swilcan Stable's reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Vequist breezed a half-mile in 47.77 Friday on the Saratoga main track under Jose Lezcano in preparation for a potential seasonal debut at the end of the Saratoga meet.

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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Juvenile Champion Vequist Targeting Fall Campaign Centered On Grade 1 Cotillion

Trainer Butch Reid, Jr. said Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Swilcan Stable's reigning champion 2-Year-Old Filly Vequist is aiming towards a late summer/fall campaign that may include a start at Saratoga.

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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