With a tropical storm affecting the track at Parx Racing, Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming–New Narration by Tapit), didn’t let that dampen his spirits as he won from the bell in the GI Pennsylvania Derby.
As the even-money favorite, the Brad Cox trainee exited the gate cleanly and despite a brief challenge, the 3-year-old colt found himself alone on the lead into the first turn. With Reincarnate (Good Magic) providing some mild pressure into the final turn, Saudi Crown responded and down the lane he found enough to win by 3/4 length over the driving Dreamlike (Gun Runner).
Saturday, Parx
PENNSYLVANIA DERBY-GI, $1,000,000, Parx Racing, 9-23, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:50.62, sy.
1–SAUDI CROWN, 120, c, 3, by Always Dreaming
1st Dam: New Narration, by Tapit
2nd Dam: New Normal, by Forestry
3rd Dam: New Economy, by Red Ransom
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I
WIN. ($45,000 Ylg ’21 KEEJAN; $240,000 2yo ’22 OBSAPR).
O-FMQ Stables; B-Chc Inc. (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Florent
Geroux. $546,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-2-0, $817,085. Werk
Nick Rating: A+. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dreamlike, 120, c, 3, Gun Runner–Time to Tap, by Tapit.
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($975,000 Ylg ’21 KEESEP). O-Repole
Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY);
T-Todd A. Pletcher. $182,000.
3–Il Miracolo, 124, c, 3, Gun Runner–Tapit‘s World, by Tapit.
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($75,000 Ylg ’21 KEEJAN; $190,000 RNA Ylg ’21 FTKOCT; $70,000 2yo ’22 OBSOPN). O-Eduardo Soto; B-Willow Oaks Stable LLC (KY); T-Antonio Sano. $91,000.
Margins: HF, 6, NK. Odds: 1.10, 7.80, 25.10.
Also Ran: Magic Tap, Crupi, Reincarnate, Gilmore, Daydreaming Boy, West Coast Cowboy, Scotland, Modern Era.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
👑 SAUDI CROWN (Always Dreaming) is KING in the GI @betPARX Pennsylvania Derby, leading every step of the way and outlasting a late challenge from Dreamlike to earn his first career Grade I victory! #PADerby pic.twitter.com/SF81cpfnXa
— TDN (@theTDN) September 23, 2023
