Five stakes for Pennsylvania-breds on Saturday

Although the inaugural Princess of Sylmar Stakes, which stars Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia, is not restricted to statebreds, the other 10 races on Pennsylvania’s Day at the Races card at Parx on Saturday are limited to Pennsylvania-breds. And in keeping with the home-grown theme, even Cathryn Sophia’s prep race for the $1 million Cotillion is named after one of the best Pennsylvania-breds of recent times.

Princess of Sylmar was bred by Ed Stanco and raced for his King of Prussia Stable from 2012 to 2014. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Princess of Sylmar won the Kentucky Oaks and three other Grade 1 races – the Coaching Club American Oaks, Alabama, and Beldame.

The five statebred stakes on Saturday’s card are each worth $100,000. The six stakes are carded as races 5 to 10.

The Banjo Picker for 3-year-olds and up and the Dr. Teresa Garofalo Memorial for fillies and mares are six-furlong dirt sprints. The Mrs. Penny is a 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares.

The final two stakes are for 3-year-olds and up. The Roanoke is a 1 1/16-mile main-track race, and the Marshall Jenney Handicap is a five-furlong turf sprint.

Roxbury N Overton will be favored in the Banjo Picker for trainer Ramon Preciado. Roxbury N Overton won the restricted Lyman Stakes at seven furlongs in June before trying open company in his last two starts, the Donald LeVine Memorial and the Belmont Park Sprint Championship, both of which were won by A. P. Indian, the winner of last week’s Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga. Roxbury N Overton was second in the Lyman and seventh at Belmont.

Roxbury N Overton will face Lyman runner-up He’s Got Talent again Saturday.

Disco Chick is the horse to beat in the Garofalo Memorial. The fast 5-year-old mare has made her four most recent starts in open company for trainer Mario Serey Jr. She won the statebred Foxy J. G. by six lengths in June.

In the Mrs. Penny, Rock Me Again, trained by Pletcher, is one of the top contenders. She will be rematched against Devilwentogeorgia, who beat her by a neck in the restricted Lyphard Stakes at Penn National in May.

Devilish Love, who finished fourth in the Lyphard, also deserves a look. Trainer Lupe Preciado stretches her out after shortening her up to a turf sprint in the Power By Far Stakes.

The Roanoke and the Jenney Memorial are both wide open. The Roanoke has a field of nine, and the Jenney has 12, including two also-eligibles.

Res Judicata ran poorly on turf last out in the Robellino Stakes at Penn National for John Servis. He should benefit from this return to the main track. Res Judicata will face an Elkstone Group entry of Duff and Edge of Reality.

Duff won this race a year ago by a nose over Page McKenney at 21-1. He was fifth last out in the Robellino for trainer Ron Potts Jr.

Edge of Reality, trained by Graham Motion, rallied from far back to win the Robellino on Aug. 6. The entry was sent off at 5-1 in that race.

Kobel was claimed by Scott Lake out of a winning effort in an open, third-level optional-claiming race at Parx two starts back. He figures here if he can avoid getting into a speed duel with Res Judicata.

The Jenney is a very difficult race. Maryland shippers Golden Emperor and Chief Exchanger both figure, as does Parx-based Agonistic.