By Dick Jerardi
When Parx began to race again Monday after a 25-day absence, there was a hint of fall in the air, top jockeys and horses on the track, enhanced purses and a powerful preview of Pennsylvania Derby Day on Sept. 20.
The purses were so good on Owners’ and Trainers’ Appreciation Day Monday and Smarty Jones Day Tuesday that some of the country’s best jockeys, including John Velazquez, Luis Saez, Jose Ortiz, Junior Alvarado, Brian Hernandez and Javier Castellano, descended on Parx. Turned out the jockey star was Paco Lopez with seven wins over the two days which got him to 254 wins on the year to maintain a solid lead for the country’s most wins.
The bettors responded to all the full fields and five stakes by betting $7.5 million over the two days ($4.4 million Tuesday). There were 134 horses in 12 races Monday, 106 more in the 12 races Tuesday.
Four of the stakes were preps for Pa. Derby Day stakes – Monday’s PTHA President’s Sprint for the Gallant Bob, Tuesday’s Mayor’s Mile for the Parx Dirt Mile, the Cathryn Sophia for the Cotillion and the Smarty Jones for the Pa. Derby itself.
The preps for the two $1 million Grade I stakes were obviously the centerpiece, but you could make a case that the best stakes performance over the two days came from the very cool Offaly Cool in the Mayor’s Mile.
After taking a ton of late money and going off as the 9-10 favorite, the 5-year-old, making lifetime start No. 21, jumped in the air at the start, spotting the field 5 lengths. Jockey Abner Adorno never panicked and let his mount gradually work his way back in the race. By the far turn, Offaly Cool was within striking distance. And when the rail opened wide in the stretch, horse and rider shot through and won by a convincing 1 length over the always tough Far Mo Power for trainer Lou Linder, with Bendoog down from Saratoga for Bill Mott and Alvarado, a wide trip third.
Owner Larry Rebbecchi claimed Offaly Cool for $30,000 on Feb. 17, 2023 at Turfway Park. All the horse has done since then for trainer Jacinto Solis is win three stakes, finish second in four others and earn $410,523.
“It was probably the worst start he had in his career,” an ecstatic Rebbecchi said. “I didn’t feel good about it…I don’t think anybody does it better than Abner. Anybody else would not have brought him across the line.”
Offaly Cool is easily the best horse the owner has had.
“I love him,” he said. “I would marry him if I could.”
Tip Top Thomas entered the Smarty Jones with the best Beyer figures and a solid win over the estimable Coal Battle in the Indiana Derby. Combine that with the formidable duo or trainer Todd Pletcher and Johnny V., you have a 2-5 shot. And it looked like an easy win on the lead – until it didn’t.
Tip Top Thomas was chased the whole way by Fact and Saez. The chase looked over several times, but it did not end until the wire when the favorite held on by a diminishing head.
“My horse seemed to be waiting, waiting, waiting,” Velazquez said. “He responded right before the wire.”
To be determined if Tip Top Thomas comes back for the Pa. Derby which obviously will be a much tougher race.
“I think he can,” Velazquez said. “Obviously, he has a race over the race track and see if he can repeat that kind of a race.”
It was win No. 5,455 in the legendary jockey’s career. Earlier this year, he became the first rider with a half billion in mount earnings.
The Cathryn Sophia looked wide open on paper, but 7-1 Dry Powder blew the race wide open in the stretch and won by 4 1/4 lengths for trainer Chad Summer and owner Al Gold’s Gold Square.
“The whole way I was pretty confident because I knew I had some horse for the finish,” winning rider Saez said. “She was travelling beautiful.”
It was only the filly’s fifth start.
“Big future,” Saez said.
Summers said he will definitely be back to run Dry Powder in the Cotillion where she will have to deal with Scottish Lassie who blew her and everything else away in the CCA Oaks when she won by 15 1/2 lengths.
Ourdaydreamingirl came on to be second for trainer Lou Linder at 18-1.
Freddie Velazquez has had a distinguished training career (1,236 wins over 40 years). It only seems fair that late in his career he would get such a fighter as Buccherino. Sent off at 2-5 in the State Representative’s Sprint, Buccherino was under pressure from Twisted Ride the whole way, but got away in the stretch to win it by 2 3/4 lengths. Caramel Chip just got up to edge Twisted Ride for second.
“I don’t like the 1 hole too much, but my horse broke very sharp today,” winning rider Lopez said. “I know this horse very well.”
Buccherino was a solid third in the 2024 Gallant Bob and never fails to give a big effort anywhere. But he is just about unbeatable at his home track where he is now 5-for-5 in races other than last year’s Bob. The horse has now earned $386,600 for Happy Tenth Stable which purchased him for $75,000 at the Ocala April 2023 2-year-old sale.
Trainer Cherie DeVaux had only started one horse at Parx (Cagliostro second in the 2023 Smarty Jones) before winning the President’s Sprint with 2-1 second choice Retribution. Local star Kentucky Outlaw, sent off at 3-5, missed the break again and never got into the race over a muddy, sealed surface.
Top Parx jockey Mychel Sanchez rode the winner for the first time and was impressed.
“I think there was a lot more in the tank,” he said, flashing his trademark smile in the winner’s circle. “I think he likes the competition.”
When asked if he liked winning these stakes races, Sanchez smiled and said: “I like winning everything.”
Retribution won it by one-half length over 23-1 Fire Pit who was 8 1/4 lengths clear of third for trainer Lupe Preciado and jockey Andy Hernandez.
All in all, a great two days of racing and a perfect appetizer for Pa. Derby Day which has, for years now, become America’s best September day of racing. Will be no different this September 20.
