Tag: Pennsylvania Derby

Hot Rod Charlie earned his first Grade 1 win with this solid September score in the Pennsylvania Derby. He is the 4/1 third-favorite to win Saturday's Breeders' Cup Classic. (Image: Parx Racing)

Hot Rod Charlie’s Breeders’ Cup Journey: From Footnote to Headliner

- 4 min read

The last time Hot Rod Charlie arrived at the Breeders’ Cup, he was a 94/1 afterthought in a Juvenile field that included favored Jackie’s Warrior, eventual winner Essential Quality and the highly regarded Keepmeinmind, among other “name” 2-year-olds. Name? Hot Rod Charlie had only that cool moniker going for him. […]

Hot Rod Charlie and trainer Doug O'Neill get a prime opportunity to win their first Grade 1 in Saturday's Pennsylvania Derby at Parx. (Image: Sarah Andrew)

Hot Rod Charlie and Midnight Bourbon Seek Grade 1 Glory in Penn Derby

- 5 min read

The Pennsylvania Derby, your traditional last major 3-year-old race of the season, returns after a COVID-related year absence. And the Penn Derby returns, asking the pressing question concerning a couple of decorated sophomore runners: Will either Hot Rod Charlie or Midnight Bourbon finally get that elusive Grade 1 victory? If […]

You saw Medina Spirit and John Velazquez capture August's Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar. You won't see the pair in Saturday's Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby. Trainer Bob Baffert scratched the Kentucky Derby winner after he drew an outside post. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Citing Post Draw, Baffert Scratches Medina Spirit from Penn Derby

- 2 min read

Bob Baffert scratched Medina Spirit from Saturday’s Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx on Tuesday after the Kentucky Derby winner and 2/1 morning-line favorite drew an outside post that Baffert found troubling. Medina Spirit drew post 9 in the 10-horse Pennsylvania Derby field. That put his two chief competitors, Hot […]

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit won his third race of 2021 with this 1 1/4-length victory in the Shared Belief Stakes over Rock Your World. The two sophomores may see each other for the fourth time this year in either the Pennsylvania Derby or Awesome Again Stakes. (Image: Benoit Photo)

Medina Spirit Edges Rock Your World in the Shared Belief

- 3 min read

Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit returned to racing for the first time in 3 ½ months on Sunday, capturing the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar. Along the way, Medina Spirit turned a trick no other Bob Baffert-trained horse has ever done. “For what this horse has gone through, he’s […]

The Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion Stakes return to Parx Racing after taking last year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Image: Parx Racing)

After COVID Hiatus, Pennsylvania Derby Returns to the Fall Schedule

- 2 min read

The two marquee events on Parx Racing’s schedule – the Pennsylvania Derby and the Cotillion Stakes – are returning to the Pennsylvania track’s schedule after a year’s hiatus. The track announced its 2021 fall stakes schedule on Tuesday. The $1 million Pennsylvania Derby, one of the fall’s signature 3-year-old races, […]

Irad Ortiz and 31/1 shot Math Wizard provided one of 2019's biggest racing upsets. He'll remain reigning Pennsylvania Derby champion for one more year. (Image: Barbara Weidl/EQUI-PHOTO)

Parx Racing Cancels Pennsylvania Derby, Cotillion Stakes

- 3 min read

While tracks throughout North America were able to reschedule races in the coronavirus era, Parx Racing in Pennsylvania announced Wednesday it canceled the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby and Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes. Both $1 million races, along with the Turf Amazon Stakes, the Parx Dirt Mile, and the Grade 2 […]