{"id":278822,"date":"2026-09-04T08:56:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T08:56:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/278822\/"},"modified":"2026-09-04T08:56:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T08:56:16","slug":"the-puma-could-be-pennsylvania-derby-bound","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/278822\/","title":{"rendered":"The Puma could be Pennsylvania Derby Bound"},"content":{"rendered":"

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. \u2013 The Puma (Essential Quality<\/a>), fresh off his fourth-place finish in the GI Travers Stakes last Saturday, might be running again sooner than later.<\/p>\n

Trainer Gustavo Delgado, standing outside the colt’s stall Thursday morning at the Oklahoma Training Track, is mulling the idea of sending The Puma to the $1-million GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Sept. 19.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is 50-50 that we go to the Pennsylvania Derby,\u201d Delgado said. \u201cHe is doing good. He came out of the Travers good.\u201d<\/p>\n


\n
\n <\/p>\n

The Pennsylvania Derby would be a short turnaround for The Puma. But he has done it before. After winning the GIII Tampa Bay Derby, The Puma next went to the GI Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 28, three weeks after the Tampa race.<\/p>\n

He finished second in that race, a nose behind Commandment (Into Mischief).<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was his best race,\u201d Delgado said of the Florida Derby.<\/p>\n

Among the horses that The Puma defeated in the Florida Derby were ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’ Chief Wallabee (Constitution<\/a>), who was third, and the favored Nearly (Not This Time<\/a>), who finished in fourth.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose were some good horses,\u201d Delgado said. \u201c(The Puma) ran well off the three weeks rest.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Pennsylvania Derby is appealing because it is a race against straight 3-year-olds, one of the last chances to do so this year. Among those expected to run in the 1 1\/8-mile race are ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’ Further Ado (Gun Runner<\/a>), whom The Puma defeated in the Tampa Bay Derby, and Iron Honor (Nyquist<\/a>), the runner-up in the GI Preakness Stakes.<\/p>\n

Delgado says he has no desire to have The Puma take on older horses, at least not right now.<\/p>\n

\u201cForever Young \u2026 Sovereignty \u2026 Knightsbridge \u2026 Baeza,\u201d Delgado said and then smiled. \u201cThe older horses are so much better. Very strong group. The 3-year-olds \u2026 they are equal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Delgado will have input in the decision, but so too will the ownership group, which consists of OGMA Investments LLC, High Step Racing, TCC Stables LLC, YNG Stables LLC and JR Ranch.<\/p>\n

The Puma has raced six times in his career, all this year, and has one win, two seconds and a third. The plan for right now is for The Puma to stay in Saratoga until a decision is made on the Pennsylvania Derby. If he doesn’t go to Parx, he would likely ship back to Florida, Delgado’s home base.<\/p>\n

Rodriguez Hopeful for Better Start from Flight Command<\/p>\n

Fresh off a 10-length romp in his\u00a0 ‘TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard’ debut, big things were expected from Flight Command (Flightline<\/a>) when he jumped into the GII Saratoga Special.<\/p>\n

The 9-5 favorite fizzled and finished a disappointing last after stumbling out of the gate and losing all chance.<\/p>\n

\"Flight<\/a><\/p>\n

Flight Command in the Saratoga Special paddock | Sarah Andrew<\/p>\n

Since that Aug. 1 debacle, trainer Rudy Rodriguez has worked hard with the young colt, who has carried a load of hype on his back after that sparkling debut. After all, he is a son of Flightline<\/a>, one of the most dominant horses of his generation.<\/p>\n

He gets another chance to duplicate his debut when he runs in the GI Hopeful Stakes on Sunday. Five of his six rivals are coming into this race off impressive wins (four of them in their first career start); the other two were second (one in his first career start).<\/p>\n

Without a doubt, Flight Command has the most to prove after his Saratoga Special effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has not given us any indication that he’s not ready,\u201d Rodriguez said in his office at his barn at the Oklahoma Training Track Thursday morning. \u201cWe were all disappointed with the way he ran (in the Saratoga Special).\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodriguez said he had to convince the ownership group\u2013LSU Stables\u2013that stumbling out of the gate will happen in this game.<\/p>\n

\u201cI drew a line through that race,\u201d he said. \u201cThe owners didn’t want to accept it because he is by Flightline<\/a>. I told them not to get too high because this game can bring you down very, very easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since the Saratoga Special, Rodriguez said he has worked with Flight Command in the starting gate and has had no issues. He has worked three times since the Special, all at five furlongs. Rodriguez has been satisfied with them.<\/p>\n

For this start, he will equip Flight Command with blinkers for the first time.<\/p>\n

The colt will have his third different rider in as many races. Hall of Famer Johnny Velazquez gets the call for the Hopeful after Flavien Prat rode in the Saratoga Special and Manny Franco had the mount in the career debut at Aqueduct on June 25.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he is a very good horse, and I think he could be special,\u201d Rodriguez said. \u201cYou expect a lot of a horse like him, and, in a blink of an eye, you lose all chance. That’s what happened to him the last time. I just hope he shows up this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abreu Still Keeping the Faith With Scottish Lassie<\/p>\n

There was no excuse given by trainer Jorge Abreu following Saturday’s GI Personal Ensign Stakes. There couldn’t be.<\/p>\n

Abreu’s 4-year-old filly Scottish Lassie (McKinzie<\/a>)\u2013and the other three fillies and one mare entered in the race\u2013were absolutely no match for the Chad Brown-trained Fully Subscribed (Tiz the Law<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Scottish Lassie finished second, but she was 9 3\/4 lengths behind Fully Subscribed.<\/p>\n

\"Scottish<\/a><\/p>\n

Scottish Lassie just prior to Saturday’s Personal Ensign | Sarah Andrew<\/p>\n

\u201cChad’s horse is just getting better right now,\u201d Abreu said in the day’s biggest understatement Thursday morning at the Oklahoma Training Track.<\/p>\n

Despite the blowout loss, Abreu has never lost faith in his classy lassie. In 10 career starts, she has three wins, two seconds and three thirds. Two of her wins gave Abreu his only two Grade I wins of his career.<\/p>\n

They came in the GI Frizette when Scottish Lassie was a 2-year-old in 2024 and in the 2025 GI Coaching Club American Oaks, a race she won by 15 1\/2 lengths.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is very important to me; she has meant a lot to my career,\u201d Abreu said.<\/p>\n

Scottish Lassie will spend a bulk of the fall right here at Saratoga where she will train at the Oklahoma before making the trip to Keeneland, where she will be pointed to the $2-million GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff.<\/p>\n

That’s where Abreu wanted to take her last year, but two days before the race at Del Mar, she was withdrawn after Abreu found her to be \u201ca little off\u201d in her right front. It was a crushing blow, but Abreu was not going to run his filly unless she was 100%.<\/p>\n

This year he will get another chance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere will be a lot of nice horses in that race,\u201d Abreu said. \u201cBut this is a nice horse.\u201d<\/p>\n

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