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2024 Cotillion Stakes and More
 Brian Hernandez Jr. aboard Thorpedo Anna after winning the Cotillion Stakes. |
Date: 09/21/2024
The richest races on the continent this weekend were run on Saturday at Parx Racing with two $1 million events run at the Bensalem, Pennsylvania oval. Conditions were typical for mid September, with cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 80’s, the main track fast and the turf was firm (but turf races after race 3 were taken off).
The co-feature race on Saturday was the $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1), with a field of 8 three-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Kentucky oaks (G1), Acorn (G1), and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) winner Thorpedo Anna was sent off as the 1-10 favorite off her close second place finish in the Travers (G1). In to challenge her included 7-1 second choice Mystic Lake, winner of the Victory Ride (G3) and Charles Town Oaks (G2), an 12-1 third choice Power Squeeze, winner of the Delaware Oaks (G2) and Alabama Stakes (G1).
 Thorpedo Anna leads down the stretch in the Cotillion. |
Jockey Mike Smith sent Mystic Lake to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.94, 48.01, and 1:12.55 while pressed by Thorpedo Anna and stalked by 45-1 Gun Song. Turning for home, Mystic Lake tired allowing Gun Song to lead through 1 mile in 1:38.37 but Thorpedo Anna, confidently ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., found room between horses to win by a neck in 1:45.45. It was another 3 1/2 lengths back to 13-1 Tarifa third.
Also on the card was the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) won by Seize the Grey plus the Gallant Bob Stakes, Turf Monster Stakes, and Alphabet Soup Stakes.
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 6 Thorpedo Anna Hernandez 2.20 2.10 2.10 7 Gun Song Velazquez 13.00 7.80 3 Tarifa Prat 4.20 Winning Time: 1:45.45 $2 Exacta 6-7 26.80 $0.50 Trifecta 6-7-3 31.80 $0.10 Superfecta 6-7-3-8 34.56 |
Left: Thorpedo Anna in the winner’s circle. Winning trainer Ken McPeek said, “A win’s a win. I’m going to take it. I’m not complaining. We didn’t train all that hard for this race. I felt let’s not squeeze the lemon all that hard, I thought we could win it regardless and we did. She’s an exceptional individual.”
Right: The trophy presentation. Winning jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. said, “(John Velazquez on Gun Song) put us in a box and we were stuck in behind them for a long, long time. We finally got a little seam there turning for home, she lengthened her stride and she was able to put her neck in front and she just showed how game she was from the eighth pole home.”
Left: Thorpedo Anna in the post parade. McPeek added, “What I was more worried about was the shipping and the running over a racetrack that she hadn’t run over, worked over, or trained over,” McPeek added. “This racetrack’s a little heavy today, seems to me that it’s probably a little slower than normal.”
Right: Thorpedo Anna returns after the race. Hernandez added, “The other horse had a race over this racetrack and this track seemed a little deep today and that kind of helped the other filly more than anything. Thorpedo Anna idled a little bit but even on the gallop out she never let that filly get back by her.”
Left: Second place finisher Gun Song in the post parade. Trainer Mark Hennig said, “Especially the last 50 yards, when she tried to fight back, she was showing a lot of courage there. I said all along I just look forward to next year because she’s going to have a big 4-year-old year.”
Right: Third place finisher Tarifa in the paddock.
The fillies break from the gate for the Cotillion.
 Coastal Mission wins the Parx Dirt Mile |
The $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile featured a field of 6 older horses going 1 mile on the main track. 2-1 second choice Injunction was quickest away through an opening quarter of 23.43 before 15-2 Repo Rocks took over through a half in 46.82 and 3/4 in 1:12.23. Turning for home, 7-5 favorite Coastal Mission, 5th early under Arnaldo Bocachica, came out 5 wide to sweep to the lead. Kept to task by Bocachica, Coastal Mission held off Repo Rocks to win by 1/2 a length in 1:40.49. It was another length back to Injunction third.
Left: Coastal Mission in the winner’s circle. Winning trainer Jeff Runco said, “He got off a little slow. I thought he’d be a little closer, but he got in position. Once he leveled off, he did what he was supposed to do.”
Right: Coastal Mission in the post parade. Runco added, “He got far behind and outside (in the Charles Town Classic). He was wide the whole race.”
 Next wins the Greenwood Cup Stakes |
The $200,000 Greenwood Cup Stakes (G3) featured a field of 9 older horses going 1 1/2 miles around 3 turns of the main track. Last year’s winner Next was sent off as the 1-20 favorite over 11-1 second choice Dai Vernon, 5th in the Brooklyn (G2), and 12-1 third choice Magic Michael off an allowance win.
Jockey Paco Lopez sent 43-1 Ridin With Biden to the lead first time by through slow fractions of 24.96, 49.94, 1:16.55, and 1:42.97 while pressed by Next and stalked by Magic Michael. Turning for home, jockey Luan Machado sent Next to the lead through 10f in 2:09.03. Kept to task by Machado, Next drew off to win by 10 lengths over Magic Michael in 2:33.61. It was another 5 lengths back to 56-1 Treble Clef third.
Left: Next in the winner’s circle. Winning owner Michael Foster said, “Do I want to go a mile and a quarter on dirt against the boys in the Classic? I do, there’s no doubt in my mind, I believe in my heart he can run with them. But we don’t want to change the horse. He proved what he could do at a mile and a half and out. He’s just good at it, but we’ll see.”
Right: Next in the paddock. Winning trainer Doug Cowans said, “My gut tells me to stay with the distance and give up the surface if I do something like that and go for the mile and a half on the grass,” Cowans said. “I know you got to face the Europeans, who have a good turn of foot, that’s the thing. A mile and a quarter on dirt, I worry about the pace scenario that the horse will get into. You can see [today] he was tugging a little bit on the bridle. You put up a 46 [-second half-mile], he’ll get to tugging on you pretty good. I don’t know where that leaves him.”
 Honorable Win wins the Miss Blue Tye Dye Stakes |
The $100,000 Miss Blue Tye Dye Stakes for Pennsylvania-bred 2-year-old fillies sprinting 6 furlongs on the main track. After 16-1 Carousel Queen was bumped at the start, unseating jockey Dexter Haddock, 16-1 Tudox Dahlia under Andrew Wolfsont was quickest away through an opening quarter in 22.02 pressed by 2-5 favorite Anabam and stalked by 9-1 Angel of Hope. On the turn Anabam was pulled up lame by jockey Angel Rodriguez, as Tudox Dahlia continued to lead through a half in 46.07 and 5f in 1:00.32. 9-1 first time starter, Honorable Win, 5th early under Silvestre Gonzalez, rallied to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:15.77. It was a head back to 15-1 Vivi Rose third.
Left: Honorable Win heads to the winner’s circle.
Right: Honorable Win in the post parade. The Kathleen Demasi trainee improved her record to 1 win in 1 start earning $55,200 for owner-breeder Pewter Stable.
 The Boy’s Warrior wins the Whistle Pig Stakes |
The $100,000 Whistle Pig Stakes featured a field of 6 Pennsylvania-bred 2-year-olds sprinting 6 furlongs on the main track. 11-10 favorite Beyondexpectations was quickest away through an opening quarter of 22.42 before 3-2 second choice The Boy’s Warrior took over through a half in 46.31. Kept to task by Frankie Pennington, The Boy’s Warrior drew off to win by 9 lengths over late-running 17-1 Reelin N Dealin in 1:12.50. It was another 4 lengths back to Beyondexpectations third.
Left: The Boy’s Warrior in the winner’s circle.
Right: The Boy’s Warrior in the post parade. The Tim Girten trainee improved his record to 2 wins in 2 starts, earning $82,200 for owner-breeder Warrior’s Reward.
 Foxy Junior wins the Plum Pretty Stakes |
The $100,000 Plum Pretty Stakes featured a field of 6 Pennsylvania-bred older fillies and mares going 1 mile 70 yards on the main track. Jockey Abner Adorno sent 22-1 Nature’s Candy to lead through fractions of 24.49 and 48.98 while pressed by 8-1 Confirmed Star and stalked by 7-1 Foxy Junior. On the far turn Nature’s Candy tired allowing Confirmed Star to inherit the front through 3/4 in 1:13.91 before also tiring Foxy Junior under Jomar Torres came through on the rail to lead through 1 mile in 1:39.28 and held off late-running 14-1 Pachelbel to win by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:43.27. It was another 3/4 length back to Confirmed Star third, and a nose back to 1-5 favorite Morning Matcha fourth.
Left: Foxy Junior in the winner’s circle.
Rightr: Foxy Junior heads back to the barn ater the race.The Bernard Houghton trainee improved her record to 7 wins, 1 second, and 1 third in 17 starts, earning $217,669 for owner-breeder Dianne Stern.
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