Pennsylvania Derby: Lynch likes spacing for Big Truzz

Big Truzz fared much better with 36 days between starts than he did with just 28. How about 41?

The connections of the son of Justify will find out about that spacing Saturday when he takes on nine others in Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx. Brian Lynch, who trains the first foal out of the Curlin mare Saralin, and owners Flying Dutchmen are ready to see.

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Big Truzz comes into the 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby off a seven-length victory in the Aug. 10 Ellis Park Derby, a space of 41 days. The Ellis Park Derby came after a 36-day break following a disappointing sixth in the Indiana Derby (G3), which only came 28 days after he finished a good third behind Patch Adams and Madaket Road in the Woody Stephens (G1) on Belmont Stakes day June 7 at Saratoga.

“He’s come out of some good races,” Lynch said Friday morning on the Parx backstretch. “The timing wasn’t right when we ran him in the Indiana Derby. … Everything didn’t feel right about that race to me. After that we had the time to get him ready for the Ellis Park race. He really showed up, and now we’ve had plenty of time to get him ready for this. I’m looking forward to running him.”

Big Truzz, 10-1 on the morning line for the Pennsylvania Derby, will try to win for the first time around two turns. He finished 7 1/4 lengths back in the Indiana Derby at 1 1/16 miles and around two turns.

The Ellis Park Derby came at one mile but not a true two-turn race because of the western Kentucky track’s configuration.

“I really don’t think it was a two-turn issue with him,” Lynch said. “I just thought that, when we brought him back out of Saratoga after the Woody Stephens, I let him down with no real idea that we were going to go to Indiana. Then we went to Indiana.

“Things feel right for this race. His numbers were good enough and he ran well enough that he deserves a chance. It’s not an easy race, but he seems to be doing really well. He’s got the pedigree, Justify out of a Curlin mare, so you’d have to think a mile and an eighth is within the realm of things.”

Javier Castellano takes the mount on Big Truzz for the first time from post 7.