{"id":285841,"date":"2026-09-14T16:42:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T16:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/285841\/"},"modified":"2026-09-14T16:42:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T16:42:08","slug":"2026-pennsylvania-derby-cheat-sheet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/285841\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Pennsylvania Derby Cheat Sheet"},"content":{"rendered":"

The $1 million Pennsylvania Derby<\/a> is the final major stakes race on dirt restricted to 3-year-olds in 2026, and this year\u2019s 46th edition Sept. 19 at Parx Racing<\/a> drew a very competitive 11-horse field vying for a share of the race\u2019s lucrative purse.<\/p>\n

This\u00a01 1\/8-mile, Grade 1 stakes has been won by some top-flight 3-year-olds in its history, especially over the past 15 years, including Will Take Charge (2013), Bayern (2014), West Coast (2017), McKinzie (2018), Hot Rod Charlie (2021), Seize the Grey (2024), and Baeza<\/a> (2025). The race anchors Parx Racing\u2019s marquee annual card, featuring seven other stakes races, including the $1 million Cotillion Stakes<\/a> for 3-year-old fillies.<\/p>\n

The 2026 Pennsylvania Derby will be broadcast live on FanDuel TV<\/a> with a scheduled post time of 5:48 p.m. ET. Don\u2019t miss ABR\u2019s \u201cPennsylvania Derby & Presque Isle Downs Masters Preview Show!<\/a>\u201d set for Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. ET. This livestream hosted by Ashley Wood<\/a>, Alexa Zepp<\/a>, and Jessica Paquette<\/a> will preview and offer gambling analysis of both the Pennsylvania Derby and Friday\u2019s Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes<\/a>. Presented by the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association<\/a>, \u201cPennsylvania Derby & Presque Isle Downs Masters Preview Show!<\/a>\u201d will stream on ABR\u2019s Facebook<\/a>, X<\/a>, and YouTube<\/a> channels.<\/p>\n

Read on for information about each of the Pennsylvania Derby contenders plus some gambling insights:<\/p>\n

1. Zihnal<\/a><\/p>\n

Jockey: John Velazquez<\/a><\/p>\n

Trainer: Jonathan Thomas<\/a><\/p>\n

Owner: Augustin Stable<\/a><\/p>\n

Career record: 5 starts \u2013 2 wins \u2013 0 seconds \u2013 0 thirds<\/p>\n

Career earnings: $286,421<\/p>\n

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 95<\/p>\n

Pedigree: Quality Road \u2013 Theodora B., by Ghostzapper<\/p>\n

Color: Bay<\/p>\n

Running style: Stalker<\/p>\n

Analysis: Zihnal is a colt on the upswing and stands an upset chance in the Pennsylvania Derby based on his races over the summer. He won a one-mile-and-70-yard maiden race on dirt in career start number three in June at Horseshoe Indianapolis<\/a>, and then ran a solid fourth despite a poor start\u00a0in the 1 1\/16-mile Indiana Derby<\/a> in early July, a race won by subsequent DraftKings Travers Stakes<\/a> champ Leading Change<\/a>. Then, Zihnal put it all together Aug. 9 at Mountaineer Park<\/a>, romping to a 6 \u00bc-length win in the West Virginia Derby<\/a>, held at the Pennsylvania Derby\u2019s 1 1\/8-mile distance. That was his first start with John Velazquez aboard, and the Hall of Famer returns to ride Saturday \u2013 a big plus. This is a tougher field than the one Zihnal faced at Mountaineer (West Virginia Derby runner-up Trendsetter<\/a> came back to finish third as the 3-10 favorite in the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs<\/a> last week). Still, Zihnal has proven form at 1 1\/8 miles, a good route pedigree, and his speed figures are competitive with the top Pennsylvania Derby contenders.<\/p>\n

2. Iron Honor<\/a><\/p>\n

Jockey: Jose Ortiz<\/a><\/p>\n

Trainer: Chad Brown<\/a><\/p>\n

Owners: St. Elias Stable, William Lawrence, and Glassman Racing<\/a><\/p>\n

Career record: 5 starts \u2013 2 wins \u2013 1 second \u2013 1 third<\/p>\n

Career earnings: $729,250<\/p>\n

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 96<\/p>\n

Pedigree: Nyquist \u2013 Orencia, by Blame<\/p>\n

Color: Bay<\/p>\n

Running style: Stalker<\/p>\n

Analysis: This colt figures to be one of the two or three Pennsylvania Derby entrants that vie for post-time favoritism along with The Puma and Further Ado. He started his racing career 2-for-2 with a sharp score in the one-mile Gotham Stakes<\/a> in February, but has since gone winless in three starts. However, he\u2019s run well in his two most recent outings against competition that\u2019s equal to or tougher than the horses he\u2019ll face Saturday. Iron Honor closed in the stretch to finish second to Napoleon Solo in the 1 3\/16-mile Preakness Stakes<\/a> at Laurel Park<\/a> in May. He then rallied again to nab third behind battling Baby Vino<\/a> and Napoleon Solo in the 1 1\/8-mile NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes<\/a> July 18 at Monmouth Park. He edged The Puma for third in that race, and Further Ado was fifth. Now, Iron Honor will wear blinkers<\/a> again after going without them in the Preakness and Haskell. Ideally, they\u2019ll help him focus more and produce a stronger late finish. Flavien Prat, who rode Iron Honor in the Preakness and Haskell, is assigned to Further Ado in the Pennsylvania Derby, and this colt\u2019s replacement jockey could not be a better one: current 2026 Eclipse Award favorite Jose Ortiz.<\/p>\n

3. Our Moneyman<\/a><\/p>\n

Jockey: Manny Franco<\/a><\/p>\n

Trainer: Bret Calhoun<\/a><\/p>\n

Owner: KAS Stables<\/a><\/p>\n

Career record: 9 starts \u2013 3 wins \u2013 5 seconds \u2013 1 third<\/p>\n

Career earnings: $392,067<\/p>\n

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 100<\/p>\n

Pedigree: Mr. Money \u2013 Lipstick Junky, by Flatter<\/p>\n

Color: Bay<\/p>\n

Running style: Stalker\/closer<\/p>\n

Analysis: This Louisiana-bred colt doesn\u2019t have the reputation of several of his fellow Pennsylvania Derby contenders as his recent starts haven\u2019t been on national television. However, Our Moneyman is right alongside Iron Honor, The Puma, and Further Ado as a leading win candidate Saturday and is a must-use horse in all exotic bets. He has not finished worse than third in nine career starts and, other than checking in second by 6 \u00bd lengths in a six-furlong state-bred sprint stakes back in January, he\u2019s never been less than two lengths behind the winning horse in the rest of his races. Our Moneyman\u2019s two recent starts are the best of his career: second by two lengths to Further Ado in the 1 1\/16-mile Matt Winn Stakes<\/a> at Churchill Downs<\/a> in June and then second by a neck to Leading Change in the 1 1\/16-mile Indiana Derby July 11 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. He had a rough trip early in that race and his jockey also lost his riding crop, yet Our Moneyman battled gamely with the subsequent Travers Stakes winner only to come up just short. He was sold for $2 million after the Indiana Derby and will now get a new jockey in Manny Franco, who comes in off of his first Saratoga riding title<\/a>. The only slight concern with this colt is how he\u2019ll handle racing 1 1\/8 miles, a distance he hasn\u2019t tried before. All in all, he\u2019s got a solid win chance Saturday and could also carry attractive post-time odds.<\/p>\n

4. Igniter<\/a><\/p>\n

Jockey: Luis Saez<\/a><\/p>\n

Trainer: Rick Dutrow Jr.<\/a><\/p>\n

Owner: Three Chimneys Farm<\/a><\/p>\n

Career record: 8 starts \u2013 4 wins \u2013 0 seconds \u2013 3 thirds<\/p>\n

Career earnings: $463,700<\/p>\n

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 97<\/p>\n

Pedigree: Volatile \u2013 Malibu Prayer, by Malibu Moon<\/p>\n

Color: Chestnut<\/p>\n

Running style: Press the pace\/stalker<\/p>\n

Analysis: Igniter is a solid mid-priced Pennsylvania Derby contender who has done his best running at distances from six furlongs to one mile and will need a career-best effort to have a chance at the upset. He comes in off of a driving four-length win in the Ellis Park Derby in early August, which was held at one mile and started in a chute on Ellis Park<\/a>\u2019s first turn. Prior to that, he had run in four consecutive races at either six or seven furlongs, winning two of them, including the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct in March, while finishing third in two other sprint stakes. Luis Saez had his first mount on this Volatile colt for the Ellis Park Derby and stays aboard Saturday, and he should have Igniter forwardly placed and ideally in a pace-pressing spot through the first mile or so. As noted, he\u2019ll need to summon stamina he\u2019s never really shown before to be in contention during the stretch run, and his pedigree offers some hope for that as he\u2019s out of the Malibu Moon mare Malibu Prayer, who won the 1 1\/8-mile Ruffian Invitational during her racing career.<\/p>\n

5. Talk to Me Jimmy<\/a><\/p>\n

Jockey: Ruben Silvera<\/a><\/p>\n

Trainer: Rudy Rodriguez<\/a><\/p>\n

Owners: SEI Thoroughbreds, Rudy Rodriguez, and Michael Imperio<\/a><\/p>\n

Career record: 7 starts \u2013 3 wins \u2013 2 seconds \u2013 1 third<\/p>\n

Career earnings: $357,000<\/p>\n

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 98<\/p>\n

Pedigree: Modernist \u2013 Prairie Trip, by Trippi<\/p>\n

Color: Bay<\/p>\n

Running style: Pacesetter\/press the pace<\/p>\n

Analysis: Talk to Me Jimmy figures to have an impact on the Pennsylvania Derby as one of two probable pacesetters along with Ponder to Dream, and he\u2019s got an outside chance at pulling the upset. This popular New York-bred has only had one subpar outing in seven career starts, and even in his eighth-place finish in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino<\/a> in April, he was only defeated by 4 \u00bd lengths. Since then, he\u2019s finished a solid second in the 1 1\/8-mile Peter Pan Stakes<\/a>, won the 1 1\/16-mile New York Derby by 1 \u00bc lengths, and then finished second again in the 1 1\/8-mile Albany Stakes, each of these races at different New York tracks. Overall, he has a record of 1-2-0 in four starts at the Pennsylvania Derby\u2019s 1 1\/8-mile distance, so he\u2019s proven to be able to carry his speed over a route of ground. His running style should fit well with Parx\u2019s speed-favoring track, but it\u2019s worth noting that jockey Manny Franco, who\u2019s been aboard Talk to Me Jimmy in five of his seven starts, including his three most recent ones, will ride Our Moneyman Saturday. Ruben Silvera, who rode the colt twice in early 2026, takes the reins again.<\/p>\n

6. The Puma<\/a><\/p>\n

Jockey: Javier Castellano<\/a><\/p>\n

Trainer: Gustavo Delgado<\/a><\/p>\n

Owners: OGMA Investments, High Step Racing, TCC Stables, YNG Stables, and JR Ranch<\/a><\/p>\n

Career record: 6 starts \u2013 1 win \u2013 2 seconds \u2013 1 third<\/p>\n

Career earnings: $567,280<\/p>\n

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 100<\/p>\n

Pedigree: Essential Quality \u2013 Eve of War, by Declaration of War<\/p>\n

Color: Chestnut<\/p>\n

Running style: Stalker\/closer<\/p>\n

Analysis: This talented colt hasn\u2019t quite been able to recapture the form he displayed during the spring in two starts since returning from a 3 \u00bd-month break, and perhaps the reason why offers a clue to how he\u2019ll run Saturday. The Puma, who won the ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby<\/a> and finished second by a nose in the Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill \u2018n\u2019 Dale Farms at Xalapa<\/a> in March, came back in late July and has since raced against the best of his age group, finishing fourth in both the NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes held at 1 1\/8 miles at Monmouth Park and the DraftKings Travers Stakes, the 1 \u00bc-mile \u201cMid-Summer Derby\u201d at Saratoga. He was no threat to win either race but didn\u2019t exactly run poorly either, and now The Puma will get some class relief in the Pennsylvania Derby. He\u2019ll also wear blinkers<\/a>\u00a0for the first time in his career, which will ideally get him involved earlier in the race as he was last of seven through the first half-mile in the Haskell and then seventh of 10 through the same point in the Travers. Jockey Javier Castellano, who rode The Puma in his two big Florida races and also in the Travers, stays aboard Saturday. The Puma carries the credentials of a leading Pennsylvania Derby win candidate \u2013 but only if he can summon his springtime form.<\/p>\n

7. Further Ado<\/a><\/p>\n

Jockey: Flavien Prat<\/a><\/p>\n

Trainer: Brad Cox<\/a><\/p>\n

Owner: Spendthrift Farm<\/a><\/p>\n

Career record: 9 starts \u2013 4 wins \u2013 1 second \u2013 1 third<\/p>\n

Career earnings: $1,476,958<\/p>\n

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 107<\/p>\n

Pedigree: Gun Runner \u2013 Sky Dreamer, by Sky Mesa<\/p>\n

Color: Chestnut<\/p>\n

Running style: Press the pace\/stalker<\/p>\n

Analysis: Further Ado has been the in-the-flesh \u201chorsification\u201d of inconsistency through nine career starts. He\u2019s alternated jaw-dropping performances resulting in open-length wins with outright dud efforts, including as the (lukewarm) favorite in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve<\/a> when 11th of 18 and in his most recent start as the 11-10 choice when fifth of seven in the NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes. Looking at his overall record, his four career wins have come at Keeneland<\/a> and Churchill Downs (two wins apiece), although he did run well against The Puma in the ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby when second by three-quarters of a length over Tampa Bay Downs<\/a>\u2019 quirky dirt main track. His Haskell flop occurred on a sloppy track at Monmouth Park, and the forecast for Parx Racing six days out calls for sunny skies Sept. 18. He\u2019s very likely to be overbet, but positives in Further Ado\u2019s column are his ability to handle 1 1\/8 miles (a win in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes<\/a> in April) and his pace-pressing running style. Look for first-time jockey Flavien Prat to have him positioned third or fourth early on and close to projected leaders Ponder and Dream and Talk to Me Jimmy, in a good spot to bid for the lead early in the far turn.<\/p>\n

8. Freedom\u2019s Echo<\/a><\/p>\n

Jockey: TBA<\/p>\n

Trainer: Guadalupe Preciado<\/a><\/p>\n

Owner: Nicholas Cammarano Jr.<\/a><\/p>\n

Career record: 6 starts \u2013 2 wins \u2013 0 seconds \u2013 1 third<\/p>\n

Career earnings: $75,430<\/p>\n

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 88<\/p>\n

Pedigree: Independence Hall \u2013 Dani Mo, by Union Rags<\/p>\n

Color: Bay<\/p>\n

Running style: Press the pace<\/p>\n

Analysis: Freedom\u2019s Echo projects to carry the longest post-time odds in the Pennsylvania Derby as his best races to date are simply a cut below those of every other contender in the field. He enters off of a third-place effort in the local prep for the Pennsylvania Derby, the 1 1\/16-mile Smarty Jones Stakes in mid-August, when he finished 10 lengths behind winner Micanopy and 8 \u00bd lengths behind runner-up Ponder and Dream. Those two runners are entered in the Pennsylvania Derby and figure to be double-digit longshots, which gives an indication as to how remote this colt\u2019s win chances are. Jockey Paco Lopez, who rode Freedom\u2019s Echo to a win in a one-mile Parx allowance race in July and then in the Smarty Jones Stakes, takes the mount on Micanopy Saturday.<\/p>\n

9. Sassmaster<\/a><\/p>\n

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione<\/a><\/p>\n

Trainer: Todd Pletcher<\/a><\/p>\n

Owner: Mark Breen<\/a><\/p>\n

Career record: 3 starts \u2013 2 wins \u2013 0 seconds \u2013 0 thirds<\/p>\n

Career earnings: $140,496<\/p>\n

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 99<\/p>\n

Pedigree: Curlin \u2013 Sass and Class, by Harlan\u2019s Holiday<\/p>\n

Color: Bay<\/p>\n

Running style: Stalker<\/p>\n

Analysis: This lightly raced Curlin<\/a> colt joins Zihnal as a mid-priced upset candidate in the Pennsylvania Derby as he comes into the race off of two consecutive wins in route races and with plenty of untapped potential. Sassmaster only raced once at age 2 in 2025, and did not return to the track until late June of this year in a 1 1\/16-mile maiden race at Churchill Downs held on a sloppy track. He won that race by a diminishing half-length in a solid comeback effort over Preside, another late-blooming 3-year-old who subsequently won twice during Saratoga\u2019s summer meet. Then, Sassmaster was entered in a 1 1\/8-mile allowance race at Saratoga Aug. 1, and showed encouraging improvement in his second start of 2026, grinding to a one-length win. His speed figures are on the rise and, although he faces a tough task moving up to this $1 million stakes race, the Pennsylvania Derby field lacks a true superstar racehorse. After being piloted by Flavien Prat in his two 2026 starts, Sassmaster will get the services of Tyler Gaffalione Saturday as Prat chooses to ride Further Ado.<\/p>\n

10. Micanopy<\/a><\/p>\n

Jockey: Paco Lopez<\/a><\/p>\n

Trainer: Michael Simone<\/a><\/p>\n

Owner: Jane Perry<\/p>\n

Career record: 10 starts \u2013 4 wins \u2013 2 seconds \u2013 0 thirds<\/p>\n

Career earnings: $204,420<\/p>\n

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 96<\/p>\n

Pedigree: Uncle Chuck \u2013 Golden Horseshoe, by Belong to Me<\/p>\n

Color: Bay<\/p>\n

Running style: Stalker\/closer<\/p>\n

Analysis: Micanopy has turned his racing career around since being gelded, claimed by his current connections, and moved from Florida (where he was bred and made his first six starts) to the Mid-Atlantic region. He was claimed for $8,000 in April after winning a 1 1\/16-mile dirt race at Tampa Bay Downs and in four subsequent starts he\u2019s won a one-mile dirt allowance race at Delaware Park<\/a> and, most importantly, the 1 1\/16-mile Smarty Jones Stakes here at Parx Racing on Aug. 18. He rallied strongly to wear down pacesetter and 1-2 favorite Ponder and Dream in the Smarty Jones, earning a career-best speed figure that, if repeated, would make Micanopy a threat to fill out the trifecta or superfecta in the Pennsylvania Derby. Paco Lopez, a perennial leading jockey at Parx, takes the mount on Micanopy for the first time Saturday and should have him rallying from off the pace. He\u2019ll face Ponder and Dream and Smarty Jones distant third-place finisher Freedom\u2019s Echo again Saturday, along with several more accomplished horses.<\/p>\n

11. Ponder and Dream<\/a><\/p>\n

Jockey: Mychel Sanchez<\/a><\/p>\n

Trainer: Butch Reid<\/a><\/p>\n

Owners: Caravan Stable and LC Racing<\/p>\n

Career record: 10 starts \u2013 3 wins \u2013 4 seconds \u2013 2 thirds<\/p>\n

Career earnings: $225,850<\/p>\n

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 94<\/p>\n

Pedigree: Uncle Lino \u2013 Spanky, by To Honor and Serve<\/p>\n

Color: Chestnut<\/p>\n

Running style: Pacesetter<\/p>\n

Analysis: This local hero has a remote chance of winning the Pennsylvania Derby, but Ponder and Dream should still have an impact on the outcome as he\u2019s a tried-and-true front-runner based on recent form. The colt trained by Parx mainstay Butch Reid ran at sprint distances through his first six starts with decent but unspectacular results, but since being stretched out to two turns he\u2019s notched two gate-to-wire wins and a good second-place effort, that coming in his most recent start in the Aug. 18 Smarty Jones Stakes on this track. He was the heavy 1-2 favorite in the Smarty Jones and took a clear lead into the stretch only to yield late to the rallying Micanopy, who is drawn to his immediate inside in the Pennsylvania Derby. Ponder and Dream\u2019s far outside post will require his regular jockey Mychel Sanchez to hustle him out of the starting gate in order to ideally clear the field and then move over to save ground. If he can get off to a good start, Ponder and Dream should join Talk to Me Jimmy, who has a much better post-position draw, in setting a solid early pace in the Pennsylvania Derby. It would be a surprise to see him remaining in contention when the stretch running begins.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The $1 million Pennsylvania Derby is the final major stakes race on dirt restricted to 3-year-olds in 2026,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":285842,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[28,30,29],"class_list":["post-285841","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania-headlines","tag-pennsylvania-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285841","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=285841"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285841\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/285842"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=285841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=285841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=285841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}