Further Ado aims to bounce back in Pennsylvania Derby
Grade 1 winner Further Ado tries to recapture the form that made him the Kentucky Derby favorite when he takes on 10 rivals Saturday in the Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx.
The 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby, co-featured on a 15-race card with the Cotillion Stakes (G1), also drew graded stakes winners Iron Honor, The Puma and Zihnal along with stakes winners Talk to Me Jimmy, Our Moneyman, Igniter, Micanopy and Ponder and Dream.
Further Ado, who won the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and Matt Winn Stakes (G3) this spring and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) last year, drew post 7 and heads the morning line at 2-1, set by Parx director of racing and racing secretary David Osojnak.
Brad Cox trains the 3-year-old son of Gun Runner for Spendthrift Farm, and Flavien Prat rides him for the first time. Further Ado has won four of nine starts and earned $1,476,958, the highest total in the field, and comes off a fifth on a sloppy track in the Haskell Invitational (G1) in late July at Monmouth Park.
The Puma arrives off back-to-back fourths in Grade 1 stakes, the Haskell and the Travers at Saratoga. Gustavo Delgado trains the son of Essential Quality for OGMA Investments, High Step Racing, TCC Stables and JR Racing. The Puma won the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and finished a nose behind Commandment in the Florida Derby (G1) to reach Churchill Downs as one of the leading Kentucky Derby contenders, but his connections scratched him the morning of the race because of leg swelling and mapped out a summer and fall campaign. Osojnak made him the 4-1 second choice.
Iron Honor, the 5-1 third choice, also exits the Haskell, where he finished third for trainer Chad Brown after running second to Napoleon Solo in the Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park. He won the Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct in late February. St. Elias Stable, William Lawrence and Glassman Racing own the son of Nyquist, who picks up José Ortiz.
Zihnal makes his third straight start in a derby after a fourth in the Indiana Derby (G3), behind eventual Travers winner Leading Change and Our Moneyman, and a win in the West Virginia Derby (G3) at Mountaineer. Jonathan Thomas trains the son of Quality Road for Augustin Stable. Zihnal drew the rail and reunites with John Velazquez at 8-1, the same price as Our Moneyman and Ellis Park Derby winner Igniter.
Our Moneyman makes his Grade 1 debut for trainer Bret Calhoun and owner KAS Stables. First or second in eight of nine starts, the son of Mr. Money exits seconds in the Matt Winn and the Indiana Derby. Manny Franco rides.
Micanopy, Ponder and Dream and Freedom's Echo finished 1-2-3 in the top local prep, the $200,000 Smarty Jones Stakes, and all three return. A victory carries an extra payday for Micanopy's connections, since owner Jane Perry and trainer Michael Simone each collect a $50,000 bonus if the Florida-bred son of Uncle Chuck sweeps the Smarty Jones and the Pennsylvania Derby.
The Pennsylvania Derby goes as the 14th of 15 races Saturday at Parx with a post time of 5:48 p.m. EDT.