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PA Horse Breeders Association To Host 23 State-Bred Stakes In 2024

Edited Press Release

The Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association will run 23 stakes at Pennsylvania tracks throughout 2024, including five for PA-Sired, PA-Bred runners.

2-year-olds will have added opportunities, as the PA-Sired, PA-Bred Stallion Series returns in its third year with four stakes worth $400,000. The Series will continue into 2025 with races for 3-year-olds, with a $50,000 breeder bonus paid out to the top three point-earning horses after the third leg.

The first of 23 stakes with purses of $100,000 will be run April 22 at Parx Racing: the Unique Bella for fillies and mares, and the Page McKenney H., each at seven furlongs for older horses.

Penn National will host two $100,000 stakes on its Penn Mile card Friday, May 31–on the turf for older horses.

State-bred stakes action continues at Parx and Presque Isle Downs throughout the summer, with the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association's signature event, Pennsylvania's Day at the Races, to be held Aug. 26 at Parx. Four $100,000 stakes are on the card that celebrates state-bred runners.

Kicking off the PA-Sired, PA-Bred Stallion Series are the Whistle Pig and Miss Blue Tye Dye (the latter for fillies), both worth $100,000 and run at a distance of six furlongs. They are among the four state-bred stakes offered on Pennsylvania Derby Day Sept. 21 at Parx.

Presque Isle Downs will host five $100,000 Pennsylvania-bred stakes starting in July and two for juveniles on back-to-back weeks in October. The $100,000 Shamrock Rose S. for juvenile fillies will once again be run on Thanksgiving Eve at Penn National in November, followed by the $100,000 Pennsylvania Nursery at Parx one week later.

Over a five-week span at the end of the year, $400,000 in purses for juveniles is up for grabs as the PA-Sired PA-Bred Stallion Series continues Dec. 30. The $100,000 Wait For It S. and $100,000 Miss Behaviour S. (for fillies) will be contested at seven furlongs.

View the complete list here.

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First Mission Fires Bullet for Pegasus

Godolphin's First Mission (Street Sense) continued preparations for the Jan. 27 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational with a bullet five-furlong work in 1:00.00 (1/51) at Fair Grounds Saturday.

“He's a great work horse,” trainer Brad Cox said Sunday. “He's continued to do the same here at the Fair Grounds in preparing for the Pegasus. He looked fantastic this morning. We actually took him to the track today [jogging a mile Sunday] because we're due some cold weather in the next few days and we may miss a day of training. But overall, super pleased with how he's moving and how he physically looks and how he is acting. I think he's set up for a big run to start his 4-year-old season.”

First Mission earned a spot in the GI Preakness S. last year with a win in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S., but missed the second leg of the Triple Crown due to injury. He returned with an allowance win at Keeneland in October and is coming off a narrowly beaten runner-up effort in the Nov. 24 GII Clark S.

The Cox-trained GI Pennsylvania Derby winner Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), another Pegasus invitee, also worked five furlongs at Fair Grounds Saturday, covering the distance in 1:00.20 (3/51). Owned by the Saudi-based FMQ Stables, the 4-year-old is entered in Saturday's GIII Louisiana S. as a prep for the Feb. 24 Saudi Cup in Riyadh, according to Cox.

Working for the Pegasus at Gulfstream Park Sunday, last year's GIII Smarty Jones S. winner Il Miracolo (Gun Runner) went five furlongs in 1:00.92 (5/11) with jockey Javier Castellano in the irons for trainer Antonio Sano.

“He went really good. I liked the way he did it today,” Castellano said. “He did it in good time and galloped out beautiful.”

Il Miracolo was third in the Pennsylvania Derby, a narrowly beaten second in the Oct. 28 GII Fayette S. and third in the Clark.

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Keystone Integrity Teams Sweep Presque Isle To Parx

Uncovering loaded needles and syringes to apprehending an assistant starter who was in possession of a controlled substance, seasoned integrity teams conducted searches and seizures last week across a pair of Keystone State racetracks.

Led by the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission staff, the sweeps took place first in Erie at Presque Isle Downs before spending three days downstate at Parx Racing in Bensalem through Saturday's GI Pennsylvania Derby.

As part of their integrity program, the Commission once again put together a group of investigators–this time from nine states, plus representatives from England–and set them to work policing the barns and stable gates.

“We do this as part of our commitment to the integrity of horse racing in the Commonwealth and for the safety and security of the horses involved,” said Director of Enforcement, Jason Klouser. “The Commission is able to assemble such a large team of investigators through the contacts made from the Organization of Racing Investigators, whose members are the best and brightest when it comes to enforcement at their local tracks.”

The Organization of Racing Investigators, known as ORI, is a membership organization composed of specialists who are employed by state racing commissions and racetracks. The members' tradecraft helps protect the sport and perform a myriad of duties from combating allegations of race fixing, stopping horse doping, and breaking up nefarious activities in the barn areas. Their network fights a host of other offenses which are committed against equine athletes. The Pennsylvania Racing Commission is a regulatory agency, however, ORI members in various other states are commissioned law enforcement agents. No matter their standing, all investigators are essential when it comes to enforcing the rules.

In the lead up to the big day at Parx, the Commission's integrity teams moved across the state in an effort to maintain the integrity of horse racing in the Commonwealth.

Car search at Parx Racing | PSHRC

“The Commission utilizes all industry assets at our disposal to ensure a level playing field for all participants,” Klouser said.

Conducting enforcement operations in the barn area and searching vehicles entering the stable gate at both Presque Isle Downs and Parx yielded results.

Based on updates through the Commission's website, Ruling No. 23096PI was handed down to trainer William Joseph Dowling, when a search found him with two loaded needles and syringes. The 6-year-old dark bay state-bred gelding Saketumi (Maclean's Music) was scratched from the seventh race Sept. 18 and a summary suspension was issued by the board of stewards Sept. 21.

Shifting the search to Parx last Friday and Saturday, Assistant Starter Luis A. Gonzalez Jr. was found in possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia. Ruling No. 23254PP indicated that Gonzalez was in possession of a methamphetamine pipe containing residue and marijuana. He was summarily suspended by the Parx Board of Stewards Sept. 22.

“The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission is incredibly proactive at the state level and will continue to liaise with organizations in order to strengthen the integrity of horse racing and the health and safety of the equine athletes,” said Klouser. “The Racing Integrity Team was a collaborative effort between the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission, Parx Racing, Presque Isle Downs, and the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.”

Click here to access the state's rulings portal.

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Saturday Preview: Parx Feature Marks Last Major Derby of the Year

For the connections of 11 3-year-olds, the GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Saturday represents a last-ditch effort to pick up an elusive Derby win and while it's not the Derby win most started out the year in search of, the $1 million purse, Grade I status and strong history of past winners makes it a coveted race to win nonetheless.

Since Hall of Famer Woody Stephens trained Smarten (Cyane) to earn the inaugural Pennsylvania Derby trophy in 1979, a number of good 3-year-olds have also emerged from the nine-furlong feature victorious, including GI Preakness S. winner Summer Squall (Storm Bird) in 1990 and 1987 Canadian Horse of the Year Afleet (Mr. Prospector), as well as Dixieland Band (Northern Dancer), Skip Trial (Bailjumper), Wallenda (Gulch), Macho Uno (Holy Bull), Harlan's Holiday (Harlan), Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), Frosted (Tapit), West Coast (Flatter) and the recently retired Taiba (Gun Runner) a year ago.

In 1985, in what was one of the more memorable editions, GI Wood Memorial S. winner Broad Brush (Ack Ack), with Angel Cordero Jr. aboard on a beyond sloppy track, bolted toward the outside rail while on the lead past the quarter pole, gave up a dozen lengths into the top of the lane but made it all up in the stretch to win while racing closer to the outside rail than the inside rail.

Bayern (Offlee Wild) in 2014 and Macho Uno in 2000 are so far the only runners to complete the Pennsylvania Derby-Breeders' Cup Classic double. Will Take Charge in 2013 and West Coast in 2017 are so far the only two to be named the champion 3-year-old male after winning the Parx main event.

Bob Baffert has saddled four winners to lead all trainers and this year sends out Reincarnate (Good Magic) in his first start since capturing the Los Alamitos Derby 2 1/2 months ago. Regular rider Juan Hernandez will be at Parx to ride the colt, who drew the far outside post position, and is the slight morning line favorite at 3-1.

“We call him Moby Dick,” Baffert said of the big gray colt. “He is a big, strong white horse; he has the same coloring as Moby Dick.

“I have always been very high on the horse. We have always liked him. He is the kind of horse that will run up near the lead and be forwardly placed.”

Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) seeks an initial stakes score after a runner-up finish behind champion Forte (Violence) in the GII Jim Dandy S. last out at Saratoga two months ago. Brad Cox trains the colt, who was also second in the GIII Dwyer S. on July 1 at Belmont Park, for FMQ Stables.

“I love how he's doing,” Cox said “We've been pointing for this ever since he ran second [in the Dwyer} at Belmont.”

Todd Pletcher tightens the girth on a pair Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable runners in Dreamlike (Gun Runner) and Crupi (Curlin).

Dreamlike was third in a very tight finish in the GI Wood Memorial S. as a maiden in the spring and graduated to winner status in July on Saratoga's opening weekend, but was then a disappointing fifth as the 4-5 favorite in a first-level allowance race at Saratoga a month later. Crupi was seventh in the GII Risen Star S. and ninth in the Wood as a maiden earlier this spring, but is riding a two-race win streak including his maiden and an allowance company at Monmouth Park and Saratoga, respectively.

“They're both training well,” Pletcher said. “Dreamlike is coming off a little bit of a disappointing race, but he's always shown potential. Crupi is coming off a good effort. Considering those things, it's worth a swing.”

LNJ Foxwoods's homebred Scotland (Good Magic) is coming off a disappointing sixth-place finish in the muddy GI Travers S. in his graded stakes debut after winning three of his first four starts, including the Listed Curlin S. at Saratoga in July. Bill Mott trains the gelding, who will be ridden by Junior Alvarado again.

West Coast Cowboy (West Coast), from the first crop of his Pennsylvania Derby-winning sire, was briefly on the GI Kentucky Derby trail earlier this year, finishing third in the GII Holy Bull S. and seventh in the GI Florida Derby. Saffie Joseph Jr.'s 31-1 chance Math Wizard (Algorithms) upset this race in 2019, the now significantly accomplished trainer's very first graded stakes winner.

“[West Coast Cowboy] is a big, strong horse that seems to be improving,” Joseph said. “He is not at the top level yet, but he seems to get better and better every time he runs.

“Sometimes you just have to take chances. Sometimes it works out, but most of the time it doesn't. You can't be afraid to run them in the race.”

Pretty Mischievous Stars in History-Rich Cotillion

Pretty Mischievous | Sarah K. Andrew

The GI Cotillion S., run every year except one since 1969, boasts some of the more notable sophomore filly names as past winners. The names of champions Shuvee (Nashua)–who won the inaugural running–Susan's Girl (Quadrangle), My Juliet (Gallant Romeo), Revidere (Reviewer), Ashado (Saint Ballado), Havre De Grace (Saint Liam), My Miss Aurelia (Smart Strike), Untapable (Tapit), Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro) and Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) are all listed in the history books.

'TDN Rising Star' and GI Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) seeks a fourth straight Grade I win after taking the tragedy-marred GI Test S. at Saratoga last out. She also won the GII Rachel Alexandra S. at Fair Grounds back in February. Tyler Gaffalione will ride for trainer Brendan Walsh.

“I was looking at her record the other day and it's unbelievable,” Walsh said of the Godolphin homebred. “It's a testament to her. Look, you have to have the ammunition, but it is a testament to her. I haven't had too many of them that have been able to keep it that consistent for that long. Generally, you hit some bump, or they'll back up, something. She's won seven of nine and the couple times she got beat she was second or third. It will be nice if we can pull it off again Saturday.”

Eight will try to take down the clear division leader, including California-bred shipper Ceiling Crusher (Mr. Big) from the Doug O'Neill barn. She is coming off a win in the GIII Torrey Pines S. at Del Mar three weeks ago and makes her first foray outside of the Golden State for the 1 1/16-mile main track affair.

“It is always a concern until you do it,” O'Neill said. “I had the great Lava Man, who was so brilliant in California, but once you had to sleep in another hotel room and try to perform on the road, he just couldn't do it. In my expectations, she ranks as one of the top 3-year-old fillies, but, until you do it against the best, on the road, it's all just hot air.”

Chad Brown will saddle GIII Monmouth Oaks winner Occult (Into Mischief) while Tom Amoss will sent out another good Into Mischief filly in the stakes-winning Hoosier Philly.

Pennsylvania Derby Undercard Loaded with Stakes

Three of the other ten stakes on the Parx Saturday card are graded, including the GIII Turf Monster, which the four-win streaking Roses For Debra (Liam's Map) for Christophe Clement in the five-furlong grass dash; GIII Brooklyn S. winner Next (Into Mischief) seeking a third straight stakes win in the grassy GII Greenwood Cup 1 1/2 -mile marathon; and the Steve Asmussen-trained GSW Ryvit (Competitive Edge) hoping to get back to winning in the GII Gallant Bob S. after a pair of disappointing fifth-place finishes in stakes company in his last two.

Dogwood Rounds Out Saturday Graded Stakes Action

Down further south at Churchill Downs, nine 3-year-old fillies will sprint the seven furlongs in the GIII Dogwood S. The lightly raced Yesternight (Midnight Storm) drew the rail and the role of 3-1 favorite after a second-place finish in the Cathryn Sophia S. at Parx in her black-type debut a month ago.

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