1 of 3 | Baeza gets a long-awaited Grade I win in Saturday’s $1 million Pennsylvania Derby. Photo by Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO, courtesy of Parx Racing)

Sept. 22 (UPI) — The 3-year-olds were back at it in weekend horse racing, with Baeza finally getting a Grade I victory in the Pennsylvania Derby after chasing the division’s best in his previous four starts.

Parx Racing staged a high-quality supporting program around the Pennsylvania Derby. Churchill Downs was back in action with support from Los Alamitos, Gulfstream Park and Aqueduct, among others.

Diving right in …

Classic / Dirt Mile

Baeza was due and he collected in Saturday’s $1 million Grade I Pennsylvania Derby.

The McKinzie colt, after breaking his maiden in his third start, had finished second to Journalism in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby, third in the Kentucky Derby behind Sovereignty and Journalism, third in the Belmont behind Sovereignty and Journalism, and second in the Grade II Jim Dandy behind Sovereignty.

Neither of those two nemeses was at Parx Saturday, so Baeza swept by most of his eight rivals and won easily, finishing 2 1/4 lengths to the good of Magnitude. Goal Oriented was third.

With Hector Berrios in for the ride for trainer John Shirreffs, Baeza ran 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.03.

“Today was one of the most exciting races I have ever participated in, to tell you the truth,” Shirreffs said.

When Chunk of Gold and Admiral Dennis were scratched, Disco Time inherited the favorite’s role for Friday’s $250,000 St. Louis Derby, centerpiece of Fairmount Park’s 100th birthday celebration.

Jockey Florent Geroux rode the Not This Time colt accordingly, scooting off to a lead that was never challenged and a 5 1/2-length victory.

Saturday’s $300,000 Bourbon Flight Stakes for 3-year-olds was scratched down to three starters and that opened the way for Brotha Keny to lead, dictate his own pace and win by 1 1/2 lengths over Chunk of Gold. Both had been scratched from the St. Louis Derby.

Among the older set, No Bien Ni Mal made it 2-for-2 in North America with a pace-pressing, 1 3/4-length victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Grade III Greenwood Cup at Parx Racing.

Cool Kiss won Saturday’s $180,000 (Canadian) Grade III Durham Cup at Woodbine, Encino took Friday’s $150,000 Presque Isle Mile and Nelson Avenue won Saturday’s $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile.

Distaff / Dirt Mile

Cliquot continued her rapid climb up the class ladder with a stretch-running victory in Saturday’s $1 million Grade I Cotillion Stakes at Parx Racing.

The 3-year-old daughter of Quality Road, with Irad Ortiz Jr. up, raced in mid-pack down the backstretch, picked things up around the turn and found the front at mid-stretch, outfinishing Dry Powder by a neck. Locally trained Ourdaydreaminggirl was third.

Cliquot, trained by Brendan Walsh, won her second career start at Keeneland in March, moved right along to victory in a first-level allowance event at Churchill Downs on May 31 and romped by 4 lengths in the Grade III Indiana Derby at Horseshoe Indianapolis on July 5.

Immersive, one of the few top 3-year-old fillies not in the Cotillion field, instead led all the way to a 2-length victory as the odds-on favorite in Saturday’s $175,000 Seneca Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Nothing Like You pressed the pace in Saturday’s $75,000 Dark Mirage Stakes at Los Alamitos, took full charge at the top of the stretch and rolled home first by 1 3/4 lengths over Double Cappucinno.

Sprint

Madhouse, in from Canterbury Park, dueled for the lead in Saturday’s $400,000 Grade II Gallant Bob Stakes for 3-year-olds at Parx Racing, and then drew off smartly in the stretch to lead home an all-longshot trifecta with the odds-on favorite, Barnes, a late-running fourth.

Smoken Wicked won Saturday’s $300,000 Harrods Creek Stakes for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs and Buccherino took Saturday’s $150,000 Parx Sprint.

Filly & Mare Sprint

Haulin Ice was out front early in Saturday’s $200,000 Grade II Princess Rooney at Gulfstream Park and cruised home first by 4 3/4 lengths, earning a “Win and You’re In” ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

A Coal Front filly trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Haulin Ice ran 7 furlongs in 1:22.80 on a track upgraded from muddy to good before the race. Edgard Zayas had the mount.

Also in the division: Gal in a Rush came with a late rush to win Friday’s $300,000 Grade II Presque Isle Downs Masters by 1 length from the favorite, Ellen Jay; Ragtime won Saturday’s $300,000 Grade III Dogwood Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs; Mystic Lake took Saturday’s $150,000 Liberty Bell Stakes at Parx Racing and Maida was victorious in Saturday’s $100,000 Weather Vane Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Laurel Park.

Filly & Mare Turf

Ready for Candy won Saturday’s $175,000 Winter Memories Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct and Leo Torro won the off-the-turf $75,000 Ginger Punch Stakes Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Turf Sprint

Asher’s Edge dueled to the lead in Saturday’s $75,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park, and then got away to win by 2 3/4 lengths.

Around the world, around the clock

Australia

The Everest Carnival opened Saturday at Randwick with Fangirl edging Lindermann by a whisker in the Group 1 7 stakes. Both are trained by Chris Waller.

Fangirl repeated her victory in the same race a year ago while bouncing back from a first-up fourth in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.

“I actually thought Lindermann had won but when it’s the stablemate fighting out the photo finish you’re not too concerned. Great result,” Waller said.

Joliestar rallied widest of all from the back of the field to win the Group 1 The Shorts at 1,100 meters, with the favorite, Private Harry, checking in a well-beaten fourth.

Winning jockey James McDonald said the outcome serves notice to Hong Kong’s sprint star Ka Ying Rising, who with jockey Zac Purton, is highly touted for the AUS$20 million (about $13.2 million) Group 1 The Everest on Oct. 18.

At Caulfield, Sepals won the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes Handicap, with the favorite, Angel Capital, fourth. Sir Delius saved the day for the chalk players with a narrow win over Buckaroo in the Group 1 Underwood.

Japan

Regaleira opened her autumn campaign with a victory in Sunday’s Grade 2 Sankei Sho All Comers Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse.

Jockey Keita Tosaki produced Regaleira from a pace-stalking trip as the field passed the 200-meter mark and she ran by outside the leaders to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Douradores. The 2,200 meters on good to firm turf went in 2:20.2.