Classic-Placed Baeza, Gosger Drawn Side By Side In Pennsylvania Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

C R K Stable and Grandview Equine's Baeza (McKinzie), third to Sovereignty (Into Mischief) in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Belmont Stakes and a latest second to the divisional leader in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes, and Gosger (Nyquist), runner-up to Journalism (Curlin) in the GI Preakness Stakes and when last seen in the GI Haskell Invitational Stakes in mid-July, drew gates eight and nine, respectively, in a field of 10 for Saturday's $1-million GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing north and east of Central Philadelphia.

The human connections of Baeza, the half-brother to the Classic-winning full-brothers Mage (Good Magic) and Dornoch, eschewed another trip back east for the GI DraftKings Travers in favor of the Pennsylvania Derby and the son of former 'TDN Rising Star' Puca (Big Brown) has registered no fewer than five breezes in Southern California since the Jim Dandy, including a six-furlong move at Santa Anita on Sept. 12 that was clocked in a race-like 1:11.60. Hector Berrios has the call for trainer John Shirreffs.

Only a pair of improbable finishes from Journalism consigned GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes hero Gosger to the bottom of the exacta at Pimlico and again at the Jersey Shore two months ago. Since returning to trainer Brendan Walsh's Churchill base, the homebred has gotten in a half-dozen drills, most recently working a bullet five-eighths (1/40) in :59.60 on Sept. 12. Luis Saez is as the controls.

Magnitude (Not This Time) upset the GII Risen Star Stakes in stunning fashion and was equally impressive in winning the Iowa Derby off an injury-enforced absence, but was beaten a country mile into third in the Jim Dandy after setting a fairly easy pace. Ben Curtis is back aboard.

Fringe players include 'TDN Rising Star' Goal Oriented (Not This Time), fourth in the Preakness and three-parts of a length behind Journalism in third in the Haskell; GIII Ohio Derby hero Mo Plex (Complexity), subsequently fourth in the Jim Dandy; and 'Rising Star' Big Truzz (Justify), a romping seven-length winner of the Ellis Park Derby Aug. 10.

 

PA Derby
1. So Sandy
2. Altobelli
3. Magnitude
4. David of Athens
5. Happily Delusional
6. Goal Oriented
7. Big Truzz
8. Baeza
9. Gosger
10. Mo Plex

— John DaSilva (@JohnDaSilva) September 15, 2025

The co-featured $1-million GI Cotillion Stakes has no future Horse of the Year in the mix–Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) gutted it out in 2024–but the 8 1/2-furlong test pulls together three previous winners at Grade I level.

Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) ran the table in five starts last term and took the GI Kentucky Oaks second off the layoff May 2. La Cara (Street Sense) frolicked in the Saratoga slop, relegating Good Cheer to fifth and handing her the first loss of her career in the GI Acorn Stakes June 8 and she was a sound second in the GI Alabama Stakes last time, with La Cara only fourth to stablemate Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro). Scottish Lassie (McKinzie) gave her sire a sweep of the one-mile Grade I features for the juvenile set at Aqueduct last October in the Frizette Stakes and has been a slower burn this year, but exits a monstrous 15 1/2-length romp over champion Immersive (Nyquist) in the GI CCA Oaks on July 19.

Saturday's marquee day of racing at Parx also includes the GII Gallant Bob Stakes, the marathon GIII Greenwood Cup Stakes and three stakes at listed level.

 

Cotillion
1. Scottish Lassie
2. La Cara
3. Clicquot
4. Indy Bay
5. Not Too LAte
6. Ourdaydrraminggirl
7. Good Cheer
8. Dry Powder

— John DaSilva (@JohnDaSilva) September 15, 2025

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