California Chrome, Untapable begin fall push for Eclipse Awards

Their once-firm grips on their respective divisions may have loosened somewhat by their absence from the summer’s big races, but California Chrome and Untapable remain the clear-cut leaders of the 3-year-old male and female divisions.

The two kick off their fall campaigns and bids for divisional titles in an unlikely place Saturday, Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa. California Chrome, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, makes his first start since a fourth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes when he heads an eight-horse field entered Monday in the Grade 2, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at 1 1/8 miles.

California Chrome drew the rail for the Pennsylvania Derby and was installed as the even-money favorite by Parx oddsmaker Lew Zagnit. Outside of California Chrome, in post-position order, are Candy Boy, Protonico, Bayern, Noble Moon, Classic Giacnroll, Tapiture, and C J’s Awesome.

Untapable, the winner of the Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose Stakes, makes her first start since a fifth-place finish against males in the Haskell Invitational when she tops a field of nine 3-year-old fillies entered in the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.

While California Chrome took the summer off to recover from the rigors of the Triple Crown – and a foot injury sustained in the Belmont Stakes – Shared Belief, last year’s 2-year-old male champion, re-emerged with victories in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Derby and the Grade 1 Pacific Classic, the latter against older males. It now appears that a showdown for the 3-year-old championship will take place in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.

“I think I got to be at my best, be ready to go, that’s why I have to get a race under his belt,” Art Sherman, the trainer of California Chrome, said Monday. “The horse is training great. Shared Belief, I don’t take anything away from him. It’ll be a showdown to see who’s the best 3-year-old.”

Beforehand, however, California Chrome will face several interesting challengers in the Pennsylvania Derby, including fellow California-based 3-year-olds Candy Boy and Bayern. Candy Boy began his 3-year-old campaign with a victory in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes before running third to California Chrome in the Santa Anita Derby and 13th in the Kentucky Derby.

Since the Kentucky Derby, Candy Boy has finished second to Shared Belief in the Los Alamitos Derby and was beaten a nose by Tapiture – who also is in the Pennsylvania Derby – in the West Virginia Derby.

“Since the [Kentucky] Derby, his last two races were his best races,” said John Sadler, the trainer of Candy Boy. “He’s running well; we think we got a shot.”

Though based in California, Bayern has not run there since a maiden victory in February. He recorded dominant victories in the Grade 2 Woody Stephens at Belmont and Grade 1 Haskell at Monmouth Park before finishing last in the Travers.

Bob Baffert, the trainer of Bayern, said that once it became apparent that Bayern was going to lose in the Travers, jockey Martin Garcia “took care of him.”

Bayern had a sharp workout Sunday at Santa Anita that convinced Baffert to put Bayern on a Tuesday flight bound for Philadelphia along with California Chrome and Candy Boy.

After finishing 15th in the Kentucky Derby, Tapiture has come back with victories in the Grade 3 Matt Winn and Grade 2 West Virginia Derby.

Protonico and Classic Giacnroll finished first and second in the Smarty Jones Stakes, the local Pennsylvania Derby prep, on Sept. 1.

Noble Moon, the winner of the Grade 2 Jerome at Aqueduct in January, and C J’s Awesome, a good-looking allowance winner at Saratoga on Sept. 1, complete the field.

Untapable back with fillies

During the time when dual Grade 1 winner Untapable stepped outside of the division to face males in the Haskell, Sweet Reason and Stopchargingmaria became multiple Grade 1 winners themselves. Thus, the Cotillion could be a decisive race for 3-year-old filly champion, given that the trio likely will have to face a salty group of older fillies and mares in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Then again, not all are guaranteed to run in the Cotillion. Stopchargingmaria, who won the Coaching Club American Oaks and Alabama Stakes at Saratoga, was entered Monday, but trainer Todd Pletcher strongly indicated Monday that he could scratch and wait to run his filly in the Grade 1 Beldame at Belmont on Sept. 27.

“If everything stays intact, we’ll probably opt for the Beldame,” Pletcher said Monday before the Cotillion was drawn. “We’ll see how the race draws and if everybody shows up that’s supposed to.”

Untapable drew post 8 and was made the 7-5 morning-line favorite for the Cotillion.

Sweet Reason, trained by Leah Gyarmati, won the Acorn and Test – Grade 1 races run at a mile and seven furlongs, respectively – and will now try two turns for the first time since she ran third in the Gazelle at Aqueduct in April.

Cassatt, a winner of three straight races, including the Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks; Jojo Warrior, the winner of the Torrey Pines Stakes last out at Del Mar; Joint Return, second in the Delaware Oaks and Alabama; Little Alexis, third in the Test; House Rules, a Saratoga allowance winner last out; and Vero Amore, who has not run well since her neck loss to Stopchargingmaria in the Black-Eyed Susan, complete the field.

From the rail out, the field is: Cassatt, Sweet Reason, House Rules, Joint Return, Vero Amore, Little Alexis, Jojo Warrior, Untapable, and Stopchargingmaria.