Dragoon Guard, Stronghold, Seize the Grey lead Penn Derby

A field of 11 3-year-olds led by the late-blooming Dragoon Guard, Grade 1 winner Stronghold and Preakness Stakes winner Seize the Grey was entered Monday for Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx.

Juddmonte’s homebred Dragoon Guard, a son of the late Hall of Famer Arrogate trained by Brad Cox, was installed as the 9-5 favorite by Parx director of racing and racing secretary David Osojnak. Regular pilot Florent Geroux takes the return call on Dragoon Guard, the winner of four straight including the Indiana Derby (G3) and West Virginia Derby (G3).

Cox and Geroux teamed to win last year’s Pennsylvania Derby with Saudi Crown and each seek their second victory in the state’s signature race.

Stronghold, who has finished first or second in seven of eight career races, breaks from the far outside under regular rider Antonio Fresu. Bred and owned by Rick and Sharon Waller and trained by Phil D’Amato, the son of Ghostzapper comes off a second-place finish in the Indiana Derby.

The 5-2 second choice on the morning line, Stronghold won the Sunland Derby and the Santa Anita Derby (G1) before running a respectable seventh in the Kentucky Derby. After that race, the connections circled the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile as an end-of-the-year goal, but wanted to stay with running against 3-year-olds until then, Rick Waller said.

“We originally planned to run in the Haskell and the Pennsylvania Derby, but the trainer decided he’d rather go to the Indiana Derby (July 6) instead. We intend to run in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and we were pointing to races to get there. This gives us a chance to give him a break before the Breeders’ Cup. He’s a good horse with the right demeanor. He spends his time eating and sleeping and he’s a great traveler. We’re looking forward to the race,” Rick Waller said.

Stronghold was pegged as the 5-2 second choice for the 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby for owners Eric and Sharon Waller and trainer Phil D’Amato. The 3-year-old son of Ghostzapper finished second last time out behind Dragoon Guard in the July 6. Indiana Derby. Antonio Fresu rides Stronghold from post 11.

MyRacehorse Stable’s Seize the Grey, the winner of the Preakness over Kentucky Derby champion Mystik Dan and others for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, is the 5-1 third choice for the Pennsylvania Derby. The son of Arrogate hasn’t raced since finishing fourth in the Jim Dandy (G2) July 27 at Saratoga Race Course. Jaime Torres, aboard for Seize the Grey’s last four starts that include a victory in the Pat Day Mile (G2), takes the return mount.

“He is on his game,” Lukas said. “He’s doing great. He really worked well last week (five furlongs in 59.20 seconds Friday at Saratoga). I expect a big effort. That work really tipped his hand. The races that were less than spectacular at Saratoga (seventh in the Belmont Stakes and fourth in the Jim Dandy), well, a new surface may help him. I really think we are back in business.”

The Pennsylvania Derby goes as the 13th of 14 races Saturday with a post time of 6:10 p.m. EDT.