The Big Beast has been tabbed as the morning line favorite at odds of 5-2 for trainer Anthony Dutrow. Purchased for $150,000 as a juvenile, he has won four of his six starts and won the King’s Bishop (G1) as a sophomore last year. He returned in March off of a seven-month layoff and won an allowance race at Oaklawn Park. He has had two consecutive bullet workouts since then and will have Javier Castellano back aboard from post position three.
Second choice at 3-1 on the morning line is Wild Dude, a West Coast invader for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. A five-year-old son of Wildcat Heir, he has won five of his twelve career starts and is a two-time graded stakes winner. He was last seen winning the San Carlos (G2) at Santa Anita over a field of six rivals. He will be getting a jockey change to Irad Ortiz, Jr. and they are scheduled to break from post position seven.
Also in the field at morning line odds of 7-2 is Dads Caps, the winner of the 2014 edition of the Carter Handicap (G1). Trained by Rudy Rodriguez, the five-year-old son of Discreet Cat has won four of his seventeen starts though has gone winless since his Carter victory a year ago. He has been second in both starts this year against graded stakes competition. Regular rider Jose Ortiz will be in the irons from the inside post.
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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