Can West Coast secure a Championship in the Pennsylvania Derby?

After his decisive victory in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes a few weeks ago at Saratoga, West Coast is the 'now horse' of a turbulent season for three-year-old males. If the season ended today, the streaking son of Flatter very well could be the horse left standing in the division for an Eclipse Award. Of course, the racing season still has plenty of crucial events to be run before 2017 is put to bed, most notably being the Breeders' Cup. Before the first week of November at Del Mar, though, next Saturday's Pennsylvania Derby looks to be a pivotal piece in determining the ultimate champion in America's glamour division.

For West Coast, the 9 furlong contest could well be the deciding factor in his championship hopes. The big race at Parx is Grade 1 this year and offers a purse of $1,250,000, and if the Bob Baffert-trained West Coast wants to stretch his three-stakes race winning streak into four, he will need to do so at the expense of some of the top horses in the division.

While Doug O'Neill has an emerging new star in Pavel, it is more likely that he runs his other stable star, Irap, in the Pennsylvania Derby. Either way, the Reddam-O'Neill team have a big shot at Parx. Reddam will probably choose to keep the two separated, and with the more experienced of the two working well at Parx, he will likely go with that one next Saturday. This will also give Pavel one more week between races after his big win in the recent Smarty Jones.

After surprising and becoming the first maiden ever to win the Blue Grass Stakes, Irap has developed into one of the best of his foal crop. An impressive late run to nail Girvin in the Ohio Derby, was followed by a romp in the Indiana Derby. Most recently, he finished third in the Travers, where it can be easily argued that the winner had the easier trip of the two. The strapping son of Tiznow will be looking for his fourth graded stakes win in his last six starts in Pennsylvania.

Another colt who cannot be taken lightly on September 23 is Irish War Cry. The New Jersey-bred son of Curlin has been a little in and out this year, but he has managed two impressive wins in the Holy Bull and the Wood Memorial, not to mention a brave second-place finish in the 12-furlong Belmont Stakes. He's had a nice gap since fading to fourth in the Grade 1 Haskell last time, and looks to be coming up to this race in fine form for trainer, Graham Motion. Keep in mind, the Haskell had a very contentious early pace, and he was the one to hold on best of those who pressed that pace.

While the Penn Derby field will include top horses like West Coast, Irap, and Irish War Cry, it will be far from a three-horse race. As the last major event restricted to sophomores, we can expect a sizable, quality field to assemble at the Bensalem, PA oval.

As for West Coast, he is a winner of five-of-seven this year, with two second-place finishes. His current winning streak includes stakes races at three different tracks. In each of the Easy Goer at Belmont Park, the Los Alamitos Derby, and the Travers, the Gary and Mary West owned colt has been a clear winner, while demonstrating versatility in his running style. It was the Travers, of course, that really put him on the map, and in position for an Eclipse Award.

Considering the Travers as the best overall race of the year for three-year-old males, as I do, I believe he is close to a championship, but the Pennsylvania Derby is crucial.

If West Coast wins the million dollar race next Saturday, he will be on the verge of clinching the Championship for 3yo Males. Only a Breeders' Cup Classic win by another three-year-old, or a Breeders' Cup Turf win by Oscar Performance, would seem to be enough to surpass a Pennsylvania Derby winning West Coast. Having said all this, the Penn Derby will be no easy spot for the son of Flatter.