The Pennsylvania Derby didn’t get its big horse, American Pharoah, but in recent years that has been the exception rather than the rule. The same holds true for the Grade 1 Cotillion. Last year, California Chrome made his first start following the Belmont Stakes in the Pennsylvania Derby. He finished sixth behind the front-running Bayern, the eventual Breeders’ Cup Classic winner. At year’s end, California Chrome was voted Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male. Untapable, the leader of the 3-year-old filly division, also stopped by Parx in 2014, bouncing back from a fifth-place finish against males in the Haskell with a Cotillion victory. She would go on to win the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and was awarded the 3-year-old filly Eclipse Award. The presence of California Chrome and Untapable led to a record Parx handle of more than $10.3 million, almost doubling the prior record of $5.5 million set on Pennsylvania Derby Day in 2013. That year, Will Take Charge defeated Moreno by 2 1/4 lengths in the Pennsylvania Derby en route to being named champion 3-year-old male. Close Hatches won the 2013 Cotillion; she would go on to be named champion older female the next year. In 2012, My Miss Aurelia, the previous season’s 2-year-old filly champ, defeated Questing, who would be named the year’s top 3-year-old filly. Havre de Grace defeated Blind Luck in the 2010 Cotillion. Blind Luck was named champion 3-year-old filly that year, and Havre de Grace would go on to be voted the Horse of the Year and champion older female the following year.