Pennsylvania Derby (Grade 1)

TO look at the result of the Pennsylvania Derby last week, you’d think this breeding and racing game was easy.

The John Shirreffs-trained Baeza had gone through the ring at Keeneland two years ago for $1.2 million after his half-brother Mage had won the Kentucky Derby a few months previously.

And last year, his year older half-brother Dornoch won two Grade 1s in the Belmont Stakes and Haskell Invitational.

Baeza’s victory was a monumental one for his dam, Puca who has now produced three consecutive Grade 1-winning foals.

All three colts were bred in Kentucky by Robert Clay’s Grandview Equine, who co-owns Baeza.

Having finished third to Sovereignty and Journalism in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont, Baeza made a breakthrough Grade 1 victory at Parx Racing in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby

John Shirreffs had won the Kentucky Derby in 2005 with Giacomo and campaigned Zenyatta through her brilliant career, and he took great pleasure from this success.

“Today was one of the most exciting races I’ve participated in, to tell you the truth. Just because of all the hope and everything we had for Baeza, all that build-up. This was a prove-it day,” Shirreffs said.

Jockey Hector Berrios has ridden the McKinzie colt in five of his eight starts and, breaking toward the rear of the 10-horse field, Berrios kept Baeza racing to the back of the group before calling upon his mount a furlong and a half out.

Our race

“Once he responded and I saw the other horses, I said ‘It’s our win. Our race,’” Berrios reported.

Baeza cruised into contention and joined the leader, Goal Oriented, at the quarter pole before moving away. He reached the line two and a quarter lengths clear of a running on Magnitude as Goal Oriented held for third.

Shirreffs described his progression. “The Kentucky Derby was a little bit of a bright-eyed thing, eyes pop open type feel for him. He was a little upset after the Kentucky Derby. It took him a while to refocus, calm down.”

“He ran three really good races against that big boy (Sovereignty), and he was just getting stronger. I don’t care who we run against; this horse is right there. If he’s not equal to them, he’s right there,” part-owner Lee Searing of C R K Stable added.

Shirreffs hopes for another race against Sovereignty, who has beaten Baeza on their three meetings.

“I always look forward to a shot at Sovereignty. We were one length (behind in the Jim Dandy Stakes), maybe we can make it up,” Shirreffs said, but didn’t commit to a rematch in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar.

Cotillion Stakes (Grade 1)

THE Quality Road filly Clicquot made a splash in her Grade 1 debut, beating some of the division’s top three-year-old fillies to take the $1 million Cotillion Stakes.

There were three Grade 1 winners in the field, Good Cheer, Scottish Lassie and La Cara, but none were involved in the three-way photo-finish.

Kentucky Oaks heroine Good Cheer and Scottish Lassie, a 15-length winner of the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks Invitational Stakes last time were the main contenders.

Clicquot only won her maiden by six lengths on April 17th for trainer Brendan Walsh. She was coming off back-to-back wins in a Churchill Downs allowance claimer and the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks.

Clicquot was a bit overlooked at 5/1 against more-accomplished rivals. La Cara again led early, with Cathryn Sophia Stakes winner Dry Powder hot on her heels and Clicquot in fifth and keen for jockey Irad Ortiz.

Rounding the far turn, Ortiz pushed forward with Clicquot and she battled gamely to the line, prevailing by a neck over Dry Powder.

Accomplishment

“It’s easy to say it now, but for her to come and beat these fillies, a relatively lightly-raced filly, I thought it was quite an accomplishment from her,” said Walsh.

“We had the plan the whole time along to go here if she won at Indiana and give her a chance,” Walsh said. “She’s been working unbelievably well. I can’t say enough about her. She makes our job easy.”

Outsider Ourdaydreaminggirl closed from last to come up a head short of catching Dry Powder for second.

The favourite Scottish Lassie was fourth, La Cara was fifth, and Good Cheer was only sixth, with Brad Cox’s Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks winner more than a bit of a disappointment and is without a win since that race.

All-sources handle for the day came in at $17.8 million, second highest in track history behind the $18.8 million that was wagered on the 2022 Pennsylvania Derby card.