The Aug. 23 action at Parx Racing could produce some starters in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and Cotillion Stakes (G1) Sept. 24 at the Bensalem, Pa., track.
Parx hosts the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) Tuesday, as well as the $150,000 Cathryn Sophia Stakes—preps for the Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion, respectively.
The 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones appears the more competitive of the two dirt races, with Pioneer of Medina, Best Actor, Golden Alchemist, and Creative Minister among its 10 entrants, while Interstatedaydream looms a clear favorite in the Cathryn Sophia, which is contested over a mile and 70 yards.
Both Pioneer of Medina, owned by Sumaya U.S. Stable, and Creative Minister, campaigned by Fern Circle Stables, Back Racing, and Magdalena Racing, saw action Triple Crown events this spring. Pioneer of Medina ran 19th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), while Creative Minister was third in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and later fifth in the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1).
Pioneer of Medina, a son of Pioneerof the Nile who ran third in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) in March, is unraced since the May 7 Kentucky Derby for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. Creative Minister (Creative Cause ) has conversely remained active and was third in the restricted Curlin Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in his most recent start July 29 for trainer Kenny McPeek.
Rodeo Creek Racing's Golden Alchemist and Gary and Mary West's Best Actor don't have the same experience but have considerable promise. The former graduated from the maiden ranks with a quick maiden victory July 29 at Saratoga for trainer Chad Brown, and the latter won his first two starts for trainer Brad Cox before a runner-up finish in the July 9 Indiana Derby (G3).
Cox starts Flurry Racing Stables' Interstatedaydream (Classic Empire), winner of the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) and Indiana Oaks (G3), in the Cathryn Sophia.
Her leading rivals include ungraded stakes winners Green Up, Morning Matcha, and Shotgun Hottie, plus grade 3 winner and grade 1 class dropper Butterbean.
LC Racing, Cash is King, and Gary Barber's Morning Matcha is perfect in four starts at Parx and winless in 10 starts elsewhere. Her local victories have come by a combined margin of 26 1/2 lengths.
With many of the top tracks in the country dark on Tuesday, leading out-of-town jockeys have accepted mounts Tuesday at Parx, among them Irad Ortiz Jr., Jose Ortiz, Flavien Prat, Florent Geroux, Paco Lopez, Junior Alvarado, Kendrick Carmouche, and Brian Hernandez Jr.
Also on the card is the $200,000 Parx Dash, a five-furlong turf sprint for 3-year-olds and up that precedes the two races for sophomores.
Parx Racing, Tuesday, August 23, 2022, Race 12Entries: Smarty Jones S. (G3)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Golden Alchemist (KY) Flavien Prat 121 Chad C. Brown 4/1 2 2Camp David (KY) Kendrick Carmouche 121 Michael J. Maker 12/1 3 3Pioneer of Medina (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 121 Todd A. Pletcher 3/1 4 4Creative Minister (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 121 Kenneth G. McPeek 9/2 5 5Icy Storm (KY) Jeremy Laprida 121 Felix L. Flores-Coba 20/1 6 6Practical Coach (KY) Frankie Pennington 121 Robert E. Reid, Jr. 12/1 7 7Witty (PA) Carol Cedeno 126 McLane Hendriks 12/1 8 8Best Actor (KY) Florent Geroux 124 Brad H. Cox 7/2 9 9Kissalot (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 121 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 12/1 10 10Clapton (FL) Edgard J. Zayas 121 Juan Alvarado 12/1
Parx Racing, Tuesday, August 23, 2022, Race 11Entries: Cathryn Sophia S.
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Green Up (VA) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 124 Todd A. Pletcher 5/1 2 2Interstatedaydream (ON) Florent Geroux 124 Brad H. Cox 9/5 3 3Morning Matcha (PA) Paco Lopez 124 Robert E. Reid, Jr. 5/1 4 4Bazinga C (PA) Jose L. Ortiz 124 Timothy C. Kreiser 15/1 5 5Silverleaf (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 120 Kenneth G. McPeek 12/1 6 6Shotgun Hottie (KY) Junior Alvarado 124 William E. Morey 4/1 7 7Emerald (KY) Jorge A. Vargas, Jr. 120 Juan Carlos Guerrero 20/1 8 8Butterbean (KY) Flavien Prat 124 Kenneth G. McPeek 9/2 9 9Ha' Penny (KY) Jose C. Ferrer 120 Joseph F. Orseno 12/1
