Cathryn Sophia: Interstatedaydream gets pre-Cotillion run over track

Multiple graded stakes winner Interstatedaydream heads a solid field of 3-year-old fillies on Tuesday at Parx Racing in the $150,000 Cathryn Sophia at a mile and 70 yards.

The Cathryn Sophia, the local prep for the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion on Sept. 24, is one of three stakes on Tuesday’s program along with the featured Grade 3, $300,000 Smarty Jones for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles and the $200,000 Parx Dash for 3-year-olds and up at about five furlongs on turf.

Trained by Brad Cox, Interstatedaydream has shown ability from the start. A debut winner at Belmont Park at 2, the filly placed second in Saratoga’s Adirondack before going to the sidelines.

She captured her seasonal debut, a first-level allowance March 13 at Oaklawn Park, by 8 1/4 lengths before finishing third behind divisional leader Nest in Keeneland’s Ashland Stakes.

Since then, Interstatedaydream has been unstoppable. She notched the Black-Eyed Susan on May 20 at Pimlico, then fended off a strong stretch challenge from Runaway Wife to post an odds-on victory in the Indiana Oaks at Horseshoe Indianapolis on July 9.

Bred in Ontario, Interstatedaydream was briefly considered for synthetic races like the Woodbine Oaks and Queen’s Plate.

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“I like the idea of keeping her on dirt,” Cox said to track publicity after the Indiana Oaks. “I think our short-term goal could be the Cotillion.”

Green Up, unbeaten in three starts since being privately purchased by Team Valor International and transferred to trainer Todd Pletcher, recently grabbed the Boiling Springs at Monmouth Park.

“This filly gave us the impression, even before she broke her maiden, that she was graded stakes caliber,” Pletcher said. “I liked her breeze here [four furlongs in 49.02 at Saratoga on Aug. 16].”

Green Up breaks from the rail with speed.

“We’ve got to establish position,” Pletcher said. “I don’t think she has to be on the lead.”

Shotgun Hottie won her seasonal debut going seven furlongs in the Busher at Aqueduct, then placed in four consecutive stakes, including three graded races. Most recently, she was second to Shahama in the Monmouth Oaks on July 31.

Shotgun Hottie stayed within range of a slow pace at Monmouth, but trainer William Morey expects her to revert to the late-running tactics utilized when she was second in the Delaware Oaks two starts back.

“She shows heart and finish,” Morey said. “If the speed comes back, she’s always coming.”

Trainer Kenny McPeek saddles both Butterbean and Silverleaf. Butterbean made a last-to-first burst to win the Iowa Oaks on July 9, then stumbled at the start when facing Nest and Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath in Saratoga’s Coaching Club American Oaks.

“She got really good in the spring,” McPeek said. “Regretfully, she didn’t run very good in the last race, but going back down from a Grade 1 is a good idea.”

Silverleaf finished third, 8 3/4 lengths behind Interstatedaydream in the Indiana Oaks.

“It was a good run,” McPeek said. “She got graded black type, which is what we were after. She wasn’t any match for the winner.”

Morning Matcha and Bazinga C represent the Pennsylvania-based contingent. Ha’ Penny stretches out after finishing fourth in Gulfstream Park’s Azalea on July 16. Emerald makes her first start since being purchased for $107,000 at Keeneland in April.

Parx Dash

There are hot horses and then there’s Justwaveandsmile.

A former $12,500 claimer, Justwaveandsmile has won his last six turf starts and will step up in class once again in the Parx Dash.

Trainer Dale Capuano isn’t necessarily surprised by Justwaveandsmile’s turnaround.

“At the end of the year, when he ran so well, we thought we would give him time and he would be better,” Capuano said.

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Justwaveandsmile rallied from off the pace to lasso multiple stakes winner Grateful Bred and Maryland-bred champion Jaxon Traveler in the restricted Ben’s Cat on July 30 at Laurel Park.

“He really wanted it,” Capuano said. “He went after Grateful Bred, and those horses weren’t stopping.”

Capuano mentioned he wasn’t concerned about the prospect of a wet turf course. As of Friday, there was a 40 percent chance of rain on Tuesday.

Scuttlebuzz could be the horse to beat shipping in from New York and dropping in class for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. The New York-bred took 4 of 5 starts, culminating with the Elusive Quality on April 30 at Belmont before finding two graded races too tough. He cuts back to a sprint after faltering in the one-mile Forbidden Apple on July 15 at Saratoga.

The Critical Way won this race last year over firm going. Recently fifth in the Wolf Hill at Monmouth, a race he won in 2021, he is cross-entered in a Pennsylvania-bred stakes Monday. Trainer Jose Delgado said a final decision will be made Sunday.

Call Wil, War Tocsin, Midtowncharlybrown, Runningwscissors, and The Connector also are entered. Violent Turbulence, Doc Amster, and Extreme Force are entered for the main track only.