Madiba has been installed as the morning line favorite at odds of 9-5 and is one of two horses for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. A dark bay son of Candy Ride (ARG), he has been on the board in four of his five starts and comes into this race off of back to back victories. He will be making his stakes debut after winning an optional claiming race last time out and will have Russell Baze in the irons from post position three.
Second choice at 2-1 on the morning line is Sky Preacher for trainer Doug O’Neill. A chestnut son of Sky Mesa, he has one win from six starts. After finishing eighth in the Front Runner Stakes (G1) as a juvenile, he went to the shelf and returned to finish fifth off of a seven-month layoff in an allowance race. Alex Solis will be aboard as he tries to rebound and they are scheduled to break from the outside post.
Also in the field at morning line odds of 5-2 is Ride Hard Kowboy for trainer Molly Pearson. A gelded son of Kodiak Kowboy, he has been on the board in five of his seven starts and was a two-time stakes winner in Arizona. He was third in the La Puente Stakes at Santa Anita last time out in his first start away from his home track and is scheduled to break from post position four under jockey Scott Stevens.
The Grade 2 $1.25 million Pennsylvania Derby features the two biggest names from the Triple Crown trail September 24 at Parx as a field of 12 gathers in one of the most intriguing betting races of the year.
The $1 million Cotillion Stakes September 24 at Parx features a true clash of the titans as the six-horse field is headlined by the undefeated, five-time grade 1 winner Songbird who figures to face the most stern challenge of her career.
In a completely wide open renewal of the Presque Isle Mile September 18 at Presque Isle Downs, 13 runners including the also-eligible will contest the eight furlong trip over synthetic footing.
Champion Songbird is set to make her much-anticipated return to the races in the $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita on Saturday. The Grade 2 event will be run at a mile and a sixteenth and has attracted a field of seven.
Pennsylvania Derby Picks and Preview
23 September 2016The Grade 2 $1.25 million Pennsylvania Derby features the two biggest names from the Triple Crown trail September 24 at Parx as a field of 12 gathers in one of the most intriguing betting races of the year....
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