Frosted favored at 5-2 in Pennsylvania Derby

The Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion Stakes, a pair of $1 million races that will be run Saturday at Parx Racing, each drew large, competitive fields when entries were taken Monday.

There are three other stakes on the Saturday card: the Grade 3, $300,000 Gallant Bob, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds; the $150,000 Bayern – named for last year’s Pennsylvania Derby winner – for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles; and the $100,000 Alphabet Soup for Pennsylvania-breds at 1 1/16 miles on turf.

The Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby, at 1 1/8 miles, has a field of 10, topped by Frosted and Upstart, the third- and fourth-place finishers Aug. 29 in the Travers Stakes; Gimme Da Lute, who has won four stakes in a row for Bob Baffert; and the improving Madefromlucky, the winner of the West Virginia Derby for Todd Pletcher.

Frosted will be returning on short rest, but trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said he “came out of the Travers great,” adding, “I feel we’re the horse to beat.”

Frosted is the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

“Three of his last four races have been chasing American Pharoah, and in the Jim Dandy, he had an excuse,” McLaughlin said. “He lost a shoe, and we gave Texas Red four pounds. I hope we can get him a big win. He deserves it.”

Trainer Rick Violette is pleased with how Upstart came out of the Travers and how he worked Saturday. Violette timed him going a half-mile in 47.80 seconds, with a five-furlong gallop-out of 1:01. New York Racing Association clockers credited him with a five-furlong work in 1:01.63.

“He passed the workout with flying colors,” Violette said.

Wood Memorial winner Frosted will be ridden by Joel Rosario from post 3. Holy Bull winner Upstart will have Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard from post 9. Gimme Da Lute, who drew post 6, could have the best early speed in the lineup. Martin Garcia has the mount.

The field from the rail out is: War Story (Deshawn Parker), Smarty Jones Stakes winner Island Town (Brian Hernandez Jr.), Frosted (Rosario), Iron Fist (Mike Smith), Madefromlucky (John Velazquez), Gimme Da Lute (Garcia), Tommy Macho (Javier Castellano), Battle Midway (Aaron Gryder), Upstart (Ortiz), and Mr. Z (Luis Saez).

The Grade 1 Cotillion, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-old fillies, is topped by Embellish the Lace and I’m a Chatterbox, the first- and second-place finishers in the Alabama Stakes. A field of 12 was entered.

Castellano rides Embellish the Lace from post 3 for trainer Tony Dutrow. I’m a Chatterbox, trained by Larry Jones, will have Florent Geroux aboard from post 8. I’m a Chatterbox is the early 3-1 favorite, while Embellish the Lace is the 4-1 second choice on the track’s line.

They will face Black-Eyed Susan winner Keen Pauline (post 9), reigning 2-year-old filly champion Take Charge Brandi (post 5), and Delaware Oaks winner Calamity Kate (post 10).

The field also includes Tara’s Tango (post 1), Desert Valley (post 2), Stroke Play (post 4), Pangburn (post 6), Peace and War (post 7), and Eskenformoney (post 11) and Don’tforgetaboutme (post 12), both trained by Pletcher.

Keen Pauline, trained by Dale Romans, and Tara’s Tango, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, will race as a Stonestreet Stables entry.