Parx Racing – Pennsylvania Derby reels in runners with reputation, talent and bags of experience
The heavily pursed $1 million Pennsylvania Derby reels in 9 elite 3-year-old runners with the likes of the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes' winner, Ruler on Ice, who will enter the race as the 5 to 2 morning line favourtie on 24 September, 2011, at Parx Racing Philadelphia
Park.
After winning the Belmont Stakes on 11 June, 2011, the son of Roman Ruler, out of Champagne Glow by Saratoga Six, Ruler on Ice participated in two other grade 1 races but was unable to make an impact in both of them.
On 31 July, 2011, the 3-year-old Kelly Breen trained gelding contested in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational, and finished on the board when he rolled in 3rd behind Coil and Shackleford.
However, in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga on 27 August, Ruler on Ice couldn’t keep up with Stay Thirsty, Rattlesnake Bridge and J W Blue who were the Travers' top three.
The lucratively pursed Pennsylvania Derby is run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles, a distance Ruler on Ice has run on twice in his career, and each time rolled in third, but time will tell if he can master the one and one eighth mile distance at Parx Racing
on 24 September.
The Travers Stakes' rivals and also the second and third place finishers, Rattlesnake Bridge and J W Blue, respectively, will also participate in the Pennsylvania Derby.
The competitive line-up will be fueled with the inclusion of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes' runners, Norman Asbjornson, and the talented Isn’t He Perfect, but the Grade 2 West Virginia runner up, Rush Now, is in doubt because trainer Tony Dutrow is looking
at other possibilities for his horse.
Another early scratch was the 2010 2-year-old champion Uncle Mo, who was to come to Parx Racing to spark up the Derby line-up even more, but Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher thought Belmont Park would be more suited instead, hence going for the Grade 2 Kelso
Handicap on 1 October.
The 2010 multiple grade 2 stakes' winner, To Honor and Serve, could be the post time favourtie, as he is coming off an authoritative win in an allowance race at Saratoga, where he downed the field by 8 ½ lengths.
Arthur’s Tales and Pender Harbour will complete the Pennsylvania Derby line-up, already shaping out to be a fiercely competitive one.
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