Flatter Pod: Penn Derby preview with Paquette, D’Amato, Midland

The Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion Stakes are the last Grade 1 chances for 3-year-old dirt routers to compete in their own divisions. With Thorpedo Anna among them, they will race for $1 million in each of those races Saturday at Parx. That is the focus of the Ron Flatter Racing Pod.

Track announcer and sometimes handicapper Jessica Paquette provides local insight into what could be a wide-open running of the Penn Derby featuring red hot Dragoon Guard, Santa Anita Derby (G1) victor Stronghold and Preakness winner Seize the Grey. She also will discuss Thorpedo Anna in the Cotillion and staying phenom Next in the 1 1/2-mile Greenwood Cup (G3). There also may be some talk about human marathons.

Trainer Phil D’Amato talks about Stronghold, who was a troubled second to Dragoon Guard last out in the Indiana Derby (G3). He also has an update on his undefeated filly Iscreamuscream.

Horse Racing Nation handicapper Mark Midland weighs in with betting advice for four stakes on the Penn Derby card, including the two Grade 1s. John Cherwa discusses the disgraced University of Kentucky testing laboratory and helps distill the feedback about last week’s interview with Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen.

One never knows, too, what may play after the closing credits, especially since Cherwa had a hard time believing what costs 73 cents.

The Ron Flatter Racing Pod via Horse Racing Nation is available via free subscription from Apple, Firefox, iHeart and Spotify as well as HorseRacingNation.com.

This week’s episode is sponsored by Xpressbet, host of the inaugural California Crown Betting Championship next Saturday. For details on how to enter, go to xpressbet.com/tournaments.