The Puma Prevails in Pennsylvania Derby

It may have taken six months, but The Puma has finally caught up with the cream of the 3-year-old male division. It was back on March 28 that the son of Essential Quality suffered a heartbreaking nose loss in the Florida Derby (G1) that nevertheless stamped him as one of the top members of his division. Then a leg abscess caused trainer Gustavo Delgado to scratch The Puma from the Kentucky Derby (G1). Next, he returned in the July 18 Haskell Stakes (G1) and was a nonthreatening fourth on a sloppy, sealed track. The following month, he showed some late interest, but settled for fourth in the Aug. 29 Travers Stakes (G1). Finally, Sept. 19, The Puma reeled in the pack and notched his elusive grade 1 victory. He took charge entering the stretch and then fended off a late bid by favored Further Ado to notch a half-length victory in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing to provide his sire with his initial grade 1 winner. "It's been a long ride. We scratched on the day of the Derby and it was frustrating. But it was the best thing. He has really ran good the last two races, he really has. I know he got fourth in the Haskell. The Travers? That was a loaded field. He was running good. I was very confident coming in here," said co-owner Randy Guy of High Step Racing. The victory was only the second in seven career starts for The Puma, who is owned by OGMA Investments, High Step Racing, TCC Stables, YNG Stables, and JR Ranch. But both were graded stakes victories. He notched his first win earlier this year in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3). "I was not overconfident coming here, but I knew he had that performance in him," Guy said. Jockey Javier Castellano and The Puma were eighth in the early stages as longshots Ponder and Dream and Talk to Me Jimmy carved out fractions of :23.27 and :47.69. As the leaders began to backpedal, Castellano and his mount launched a swift, six-wide move into contention and circled to the lead entering the stretch. "When Javier made his move, I said, 'He wins.' He went very fast," Delgado said. Ahead by 3 lengths in midstretch, The Puma had plenty left to turn back Further Ado, who came off the rail and split horses to mount a bid from fourth, and cover the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.10. Bred by Hidden Brook Farm and Brian Kahn, The Puma ($7.40) is out of the Declaration of War mare Eve of War and was bought for $150,000 at the 2025 Ocala Breeders' Sales Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Spendthrift Farm's Further Ado, the beaten favorite in the Kentucky Derby (G1) trained by Brad Cox, was second by 1 1/2 lengths over Mark Breen's Sassmaster, a son of Curlin making his graded stakes debut for trainer Todd Pletcher. "I had a good trip, and then the winner opened up turning for home and I just came up too late," said Flavien Prat, who rode Further Ado, a son of Gun Runner. "I was in between horses, so I had to wait a bit, and then he gave me a good run. I honestly thought turning for home I was good enough to go by him and just kept grinding." Delgado said he would consider running The Puma in the Oct. 31 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland based on how the horse recovers from Saturday's race.