Pennsylvania Derby

The Pennsylvania Derby has a deserved reputation as a race where anything is likely to happen. Anybody who saw Broad Brush's broken-field run to victory in 1986 or Western Playboy winning by an incredible 17 lengths in 1989 or Valley Crossing winning at 78-1 in 1991 knows that. They'll run the Pa. Derby for the 19th time Monday at Philadelphia Park. And lunacy could carry the day again. But, when you look hard at the field, there is only one scenario that is logical. Frisk Me Now, who will be favored, should win. If he runs his normal race, he wins.

To Honor and Serve, considered among the nation's top Kentucky Derby prospects earlier this year, continued his climb toward the top of the current 3-year-old crop when he dominated eight opponents in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby Saturday at Parx Racing. Ruler On Ice, this year's 24-1 upset winner of the Belmont Stakes, rallied powerfully to finish second, 21/4 lengths behind the winner and 31/2 lengths before Rattlesnake Bridge. Arthur's Tale, J W Blue, Norman Asbjornson, the pacesetting Rush Now, Pender Harbour, and Isn't He Perfect followed in that order.

For much of the season, Frisk Me Now has battled the top 3-year-olds in the country, rarely garnering much attention and often going to the post at long odds. But as the only graded stakes winner in the field, Frisk Me Now likely will be a heavy favorite in Monday's $200,000 Pennsylvania Derby (Grade 3) at Philadelphia Park. Frisk Me Now, owned by Carol Dender and trained by her husband, Bob Durso, recently trailed Belmont winner Touch Gold in the rich Haskell at Monmouth after dueling wide for the lead in the early going.

Arlington Classic winner Lost Code and Jerome Handicap victor Afleet are expected to head a strong, competitive field for Sunday's $300,000 Pennsylvania Derby, Philadelphia Park's premier race. Track officials said yesterday that they had commitments from the trainers of nine 3-year-olds to run in the Grade II, 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby, with some others likely to enter on Friday. In addition Lost Code and Afleet - both Grade I winners - major stakes winners Templar Hill, War and Phantom Jet are expected for the ninth running of the state's richest horse race.

Herb McCauley arrived at Philadelphia Park for his mount in the $200,000 Pennsylvania Derby a little early yesterday, and he made a crucial observation. "I saw that the winners were coming from far behind. And it was my design, my definite strategy, to take my horse way back (off the pace). " The result was a stirring victory by a neck for McCauley and Wallenda, who outraced rival stretch-runner Press Card to the wire. Saintly Prospector was third in the field of nine. Storm Tower's front-running style was ill-suited to a track that greatly favored closers.

Key Contender has never even competed in a stakes race, but he will go to the post in today's $150,000 Pennsylvania Derby as the favorite. Philadelphia Park's biggest event will include a somewhat average if not well-balanced field of 13 3-year-olds racing 1 1/8 miles. Key Contender has shown rapid development recently for Rokeby Stables and Hall of Fame trainer Mack Miller. After capturing one race last season, the son of Fit to Fight blossomed in his last two appearances in New York.

Labor Day weekend's sports calendar gives you quite a choice: Temple and Eagles football. The Phillies. And the Pennsylvania Derby, one of the richest thoroughbred races in Pennsylvania. First, the new football season: The Temple Owls open their NCAA campaign Saturday at 7 p.m. against Boston University in a non-conference game at HersheyPark Stadium, HersheyPark Drive in Hershey. The Owls, under fourth-year coach Jerry Berndt, will have sophomore Chris Paliscak at quarterback and an all-America candidate at offensive tackle, junior Tre Johnson.

Nines Wild, an extremely fast colt who appears to improve with each start, heads what likely will be a full field in Monday's $150,000 Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park. A son of Wild Again - the winner of the first Classic, the top race of Breeders' Cup day - Nines Wild finished second to Technology in the $500,000 Haskell Invitational Handicap on Aug. 2 at Monmouth Park after winning three consecutive races. His effort in the Haskell was outstanding considering that he broke poorly but still managed to lead until the final yards, failing by 1 3/4 lengths and easily handling the remainder of the quality field.

Broad Brush, beaten by Danzig Connection in the Pegasus Handicap two weeks ago, drew the eighth post position for tomorrow's $300,000-guaranteed Pennsylvania Derby at Philadelphia Park. Eleven 3-year-olds, including an entry of Sumptious and Pirate's Skiff, were entered yesterday for the eighth running of the 1 1/8-mile, Grade II race at the Bucks County track. Broad Brush, bred and owned by Maryland developer Robert Meyerhoff, again will be ridden by Angel Cordero Jr. Broad Brush will carry 122 pounds under the Pennsylvania Derby's allowance conditions.

Handsome Mike, the longest shot in the seven-horse field at 19-1, traded the lead with Alpha throughout before winning the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby by two lengths Saturday at Parx Racing in Bensalem. Earlier, My Miss Aurelia won the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes, another $1 million race, holding off Questing by a nose. Coming into the Pennsylvania Derby with nothing more than a maiden win on his resumé, Handsome Mike, the Scat Daddy colt with Irad Ortiz Jr. up, took advantage of a slow pace and a troubled trip from the favored Alpha.

Alpha will face off with Golden Ticket in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Saturday at Parx Racing in a rematch of the Travers winners, who finished in a historic dead heat. It will also be the track's biggest day of racing and a Breeders' Cup preview as the $1 million Cotillion Stakes for fillies and mares will also be contested. The races will be televised on CW57, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., including the $300,000 Gallant Bob Handicap.             $1 million Pennsylvania Derby, 11/8 miles   1. Stephanoatsee       G.Motion       S.

THE 4 WEEKS of racing at Parx, commencing with three stakes on Labor Day and ending with the Cotillion for the country's top 3-year-olds fillies, are designed as a way to showcase how far the sport has come in the 5 years since slot machines came on line and as a bridge to the Breeders' Cup. With purses going from $120,000 per day to $300,000, there is no doubt the game has changed since 2006. Last year's September results at Parx provided some serious clues to three Cup races.

Ruler On Ice stunned millions of observers when he captured the Belmont Stakes over a sloppy track at 24-1 in June. On Saturday, Ruler On Ice will be the first winner of a Triple Crown event ever to enter the starting gate for the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (Grade II) at Parx Racing. Since the stunning upset, Ruler On Ice competed well but was defeated in the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park and the Travers Stakes at Saratoga, both Grade I, $1-million events. Despite his credentials, which include an impressive victory over the Parx course in February, Ruler On Ice might not be the favorite in the 11/8-mile Derby.

HOW TODAY'S $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing will be run is not hard to imagine. How it will be won is more difficult to ascertain. The pace in the mile-and-an-eighth should be realistic, but something short of enervating. The contenders are represented by every style. There really should be no excuses. Rush Now is going to the front. The very talented To Honor and Serve should be right behind the frontrunner. Belmont Stakes winner Ruler On Ice, who should relish what is almost certain to be a sloppy track, should be sitting on a nice trip somewhere near the rail.

Saturday at Parx Racing, 11th race, $1 million, Grade II, 3-year-olds, 11/8 miles. TV: NBC10 nonstop from 5-6 p.m. PP Horse           Jockey     Last 3 Trainer      Odds 1    Ruler On Ice          G. Gomez    4-3-1    Kelly Breen        5-2 2    Arthur's Tale          A. Garcia       2-1-4    Thomas Albertrani 12-1 3    Pender Harbour       L. Contreras    1-1-3    Michael De Paulo 12-1 4    Norman Asbjornson    J.

When the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby was moved to nearly 3 weeks after its traditional Labor Day placement last year, the theory was that the race was more likely to attract one of the best 3-year-olds, as Parx Racing's signature race would be removed from the Travers Stakes at Saratoga and potentially serve as a final Breeders' Cup prep. It nearly worked as the connections of Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky were seriously thinking about the Pa. Derby. The horse ended up not coming because of timing/illness issues.

Nick Zito won his first race in 1972 with a horse named Palais at old Liberty Bell Park, now Franklin Mills Mall. He also won the race in 2004 that turned what looked like a legendary Triple Crown celebration for Philadelphia into a result that hardly anybody had even considered. Since the Zito-trained Birdstone caught Smarty Jones in the final yards of the 2004 Belmont Stakes, the Hall of Fame trainer had won the Pennsylvania Derby twice. But he had not come to Philadelphia Park. This year, Zito figured the statute of limitations was up and he could once again come to Bensalem for the $1 million Pa. Derby at newly named Parx Racing.

I LOVED A Little Warm in the Travers. The colt had not run a poor race in a year. Each race was a step forward, culminating with a dominant win in the Jim Dandy Stakes. The colt's trainer, Tony Dutrow, an honest man in a sport filled with spin, loved the colt more than I did. He was convinced A Little Warm was sitting on the race of his life. A Little Warm was 9-2 in the Aug. 28 Travers. Seemed like more than a fair price. I got involved. A Little Warm ran fifth, beaten by 8 3/4 lengths.