Riposte (GB) has been tabbed as the morning line favorite at odds of 3-1 for trainer Bill Mott. A five-year-old daughter of Rainbow Lake (GB), she has won four of her fifteen starts and is a multiple graded stakes winner. She is trying to return to form after three consecutive off-the-board finishes against graded stakes competition and was last seen finishing seventh in the New York Stakes (G2). Jose Lezcano will be aboard from the outside post.
Second choice at morning line odds of 7-2 is Walk Close for trainer Christophe Clement. A four-year-old daughter of Tapit, she has won three of her nine starts and will be trying to earn the first graded stakes win of her career. She was a minor stakes winner as a sophomore and was last seen finishing third in the Keertana Stakes at Churchill Downs. James Graham will be aboard and they will break from post position four.
Also in the field at morning line odds of 6-1 is Mango Diva (GB) for trainer Michael Matz. A five-year-old daughter of Holy Roman Emperor (IRE), she has won four of her twelve starts, she made her stateside debut in May at Pimlico in the Gallorette (G3) where she finished seventh. She has been training steadily at Fair Hill since then and is scheduled to break from post position five under jockey Florent Geroux as she goes for her first United States win.
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.
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