Best Horse Racing Bets Today | Parx, September 21

As we inch ever closer to the Breeders’ Cup, Parx will offer an important day of preps led by the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby and the $1 million Cotillion Stakes. As part of a Saturday afternoon card with 11 stakes, Dragoon Guard and Thorpedo Anna will headline the two Grade 1 races, respectively. Looking for his third straight Derby victory, Dragoon Guard should be a pretty strong favorite among a deep field of 11 sophomore males in the signature race at the Bensalem, Pennsylvania oval.

It is Thorpedo Anna, however, who will likely steal the thunder from the boys this weekend. The daughter of Fast Anna has been sensational in all five starts in 2024 and looks to be a very big favorite against seven other 3-year-old fillies in the prestigious Cotillion. Other stakes I will focus handicapping on here include the Grade 2 Gallant Bob and the $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile. Without further ado, let's get to my top picks and plays from this excellent card of racing at Parx. 

Race #9 Parx Dirt Mile $300,000 1-Mile Dirt - 3:32pm EST

Having tangled with some big names of late, Coastal Mission looks to have found a winning spot when he tops a field of eight older males in Saturday’s $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile.

A winner of just over half of his 23 career starts, the Jeff Runco-trained 5-year-old finished fourth behind the classy Skippylongstocking last time out in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic. Before that, he was second to the top sprinter Mullikin in a Grade 2 in New York. Back at a level that he has excelled in over the years, he should prove tough to beat.

Film Star could be the favorite’s top competition on Saturday. He exits an easy stakes win at Saratoga in a race that was taken off the turf. The speedy son of Flatter seems to be back in top form after reaching a pretty high level this time last year for trainer Linda Rice, including a second-place finish in the Grade 2 Woodward.

Several others here merit respect. The one I like best is Injunction. He seems to be better than ever since joining the barn of Doug Cowans. With two wins and a good second behind Saudi Crown last out, he has a big shot in the Parx Dirt Mile and will be my top pick. 

My Play

• $5 Exacta Box - Injunction, Coastal Mission, and Film Star = $30

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Race #11 Gallant Bob Stakes (Grade 2) $400,000 6-Furlongs Dirt- 4:35pm EST

Two races removed from running third behind Forever Young and Book’em Danno in the rich Saudi Derby, Bentornato will look to show his class when he headlines a field of eight sophomore sprinters in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob Stakes.

The son of Valiant Minister won his first four starts last year, before stretching out to finish third in his next two starts. Back to sprinting in his last, he was a solid second to Valentine Candy in the $500,000 Robert Hilton Memorial at Charles Town. A repeat performance of that return race could well be enough to get the job done in this 6-furlong affair.

Second choice on the morning line is the Bucchero colt Buccherino. A perfect 3-for-3 in his career at Parx, he comes into his richest race yet off an impressive stakes win over the track. With plenty of solid stakes experience, he figures to be in with a chance on Saturday.

At 10/1 on the morning line, I believe Awesome Ruta is a very playable longshot. The son of Mendelssohn has kept very good company this year and exits oa sharp one-mile at Colonial Downs. The horse he battled with there ran well in last weekend’s Super Derby. He should be in with a chance cutting back to sprint distance. Bentornato is the one to beat, though, and my top pick.

My Play

• $5 Exacta Box - Bentornato, Awesome Ruta, and Buccherino = $30

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Race #12 Cotillion Stakes (Grade 1) $1,000,000 1 1/16-Miles Dirt - 5:20pm EST

It’s not that the other fillies in the field for the $1 million Cotillion Stakes lack credentials, it’s just that Thorpedo Anna is above and beyond what you expect to see from a sophomore filly. Looking for her nation leading fourth Grade 1 stakes victory this year, she stands over this field.

Although narrowly beaten in her last start, the daughter of Fast Anna only raised her reputation when just missing against the champion Fierceness in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga. Back against the fillies for this one, she has dominated her own gender this year with big wins in the Fantasy Stakes (G2), Kentucky Oaks (G1), Acorn Stakes (G1), and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1). The Kenny McPeek-trained star will once again have Brian J. Hernandez, Jr. in the saddle.

A five-time stakes winner herself this year, Power Squeeze rates second billing in the 8 1/2-furlong Cotillion. The Union Rags filly has been well beaten in her first two tries against Thorpedo Anna, but will take another shot after determined wins in the Delaware Oaks (G3) and Alabama Stakes (G1) in her two most recent starts.

Others to consider Saturday include two-time stakes winners Tarifa and Gun Song, as well as the promising Sidamara and the speedy Mystic Lake. This race is all about Thorpedo Anna, however. She is the top pick in the Cotillion.

My Play 

• $20 Daily Double - Thorpedo Anna with Doc Sullivan and Unmatched Wisdom = $40

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Race #13 Pennsylvania Derby (Grade 1) $1,000,000 1 1/8-Miles Dirt - 6:10pm EST

Trainer Brad Cox will be in search of his second straight win in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby when he sends out the streaking Dragoon Guard against ten others in the 9-furlong, Grade 1 test.

A narrow loser in his only start last season, the son of Arrogate has made it look pretty easy in winning each of his four starts in 2024. A Juddmonte homebred, he worked through his conditions in his first two starts this year, before facile scores in the Indiana Derby (G3) and the West Virginia Derby (G3) in his last two starts. This will be the front-runner’s toughest task to date.

Chief among his competition include the stakes winning trio of Stronghold, Seize the Grey, and Unmatched Wisdom. All three have been knocking heads with top competition and cannot be ignored here. Of the three, the Preakness winner Seize the Grey might be the most willing to challenge the favorite in the early stages.

hard-knocking son of Solomini comes in off a pair of strong runner-up efforts behind the 

An interesting longshot contender on Saturday is the New York-bred Doc Sullivan. The talented runner has finished second to Pandagate in his last two and should fit in with this bunch. His odds make him too hard for me to ignore here. I believe he has a big chance for the upset and he will be my top pick in the Pennsylvania Derby.

My Plays

• $20 Win & Place - Doc Sullivan = $40

• $5 Exacta Box - Doc Sullivan & Unmatched Wisdom = $10

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