If not for the stretch-running heroics of Journalism in both the Preakness and Haskell Stakes, Gosger might be a two-time Grade 1 winner and regarded as the second-best 3-year-old in training behind only dual classic winner Sovereignty. With Sovereignty in upstate New York and Journalism in Southern California on Saturday, Gosger has his best chance to secure his first Grade 1 victory in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing. The Pennsylvania Derby, run at 1 1/8 miles, is the centerpiece of a 15-race, all-dirt card that begins at 11:05 a.m. and includes the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion for 3-year-old fillies and four other stakes. Despite the absence of Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Travers Stakes winner Sovereignty and Preakness winner Journalism, the Pennsylvania Derby is no easy assignment for Gosger. Among his nine rivals are Baeza, who finished third behind Sovereignty and Journalism in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont; Goal Oriented, third in the Haskell; and Magnitude, dominant winner of the Grade 2 Risen Star and listed Iowa Derby who flopped in the Travers. Though listed as the 4-1 third choice on the track’s morning line, Gosger should vie for favoritism with Baeza in this race. Gosger, a son of Nyquist – the 2016 Kentucky Derby winner who finished sixth as the favorite in the Pennsylvania Derby – won the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes in April before finishing a half-length behind Journalism in the Preakness and the Haskell. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. In the Preakness, Gosger was five lengths in front at the eighth pole, but Journalism extricated himself from trouble and was able to wear Gosger down late. In the Haskell, Gosger fought with Goal Oriented – also in the Pennsylvania Derby – starting at the top of the stretch. While he edged past that one late, Journalism ran by them both at the wire. “Complaining about it or being frustrated about it doesn’t help anything,” said Brendan Walsh, trainer of Gosger. “Disappointing more than anything, but we weren’t disappointed in the horse. He ran a very good race, snatched defeat from the jaws of victory [in Preakness]. We moved on, and he ran a very good race in the Haskell. Journalism had clear run in the Haskell and barely got there again. I feel we’re still improving, and if we can improve a little bit and run to that form then it shouldn’t leave him too far away.” Walsh said he had considered running Gosger in the Travers but figured the Pennsylvania Derby would be a better opportunity for the colt to win a Grade 1. Walsh said Gosger’s most recent workouts are improvements from the way he worked earlier in the year. Gosger’s last work at Churchill Downs, a five-furlong move in 59.60 seconds, was done in company with David of Athens, a recent first-level allowance winner who Walsh also has entered in the Pennsylvania Derby. “He’s not the greatest work horse in the world, but his last couple of works have been very good for him so that’s encouraging,” Walsh said of Gosger. David of Athens, also a son of Nyquist, is only 2 for 3 in his career. He could be part of what looks, on paper, to be a lively pace. “He’s fast,” Walsh said. “He’ll have to carry his speed, but I don’t see why he wouldn’t. I don’t know if he’ll be on the lead, but he’ll be prominent. He’s a naturally fast horse.” Gosger breaks from post 9 under Luis Saez, while David of Athens will break from post 4 under Tyler Gaffalione. Baeza, since a maiden victory at Santa Anita in February, has been competing at the highest level in the division. He was second to Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby before finishing third behind Sovereignty and Journalism in the Derby and Belmont. Baeza was only beaten one length by Sovereignty in the Grade 2 Jim Dandy at Saratoga, and Sovereignty came back to win the Grade 1 Travers by 10 lengths in his next start. Though he came from well back to finish in third, beaten only 1 3/4 lengths, in the Kentucky Derby, it seems like Baeza’s better races are when he’s closer to the pace. Baeza breaks from post 8 under Hector Berrios. “I don’t want to be too far back on this track,” trainer John Shirreffs said. “A lot depends on how he breaks and what happens with the speed horses. But, yeah, for sure he can lay close.” Magnitude was a powerful, front-running winner of the Risen Star and Iowa Derby. In both races, he dragged jockey Ben Curtis to the lead. In the Travers, Curtis had to ask Magnitude to be forward and he was pretty much done by the three-eighths pole. He was beaten 20 3/4 lengths. Magnitude is trained by Steve Asmussen, who has four second-place finishes in the Pennsylvania Derby, including Gun Runner in 2016, from five starters in the race. Bob Baffert, who has won the Pennsylvania Derby a record four times, sends out Goal Oriented on Saturday. Goal Oriented, a son of Not This Time, bumped with Journalism in the stretch of the Preakness and finished fourth. He was involved in the race earlier in the Haskell and fell a neck short of Gosger for second. “He needs to be forwardly placed,” Baffert said. “He’s improving. But he still needs to improve.” Irad Ortiz Jr. rides Goal Oriented from post 6. Mo Plex won the Grade 3 Ohio Derby from an attending position before he set the pace and faded to fourth, 10 1/4 lengths behind Sovereignty, in the Jim Dandy. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart said he expects jockey Joe Ramos to have Mo Plex forward from the outside draw on Saturday. “Our goal is to let him get out there and run freely, do his thing, and see how it goes,” Englehart said. Big Truzz, trained by Brian Lynch, won the Ellis Park Derby going a mile and now must try to stretch out to 1 1/8 miles. So Sandy was a solid second behind Chancer McPatrick in the Curlin Stakes. Happily Delusional and Altobelli are locally based longshots who round out the field. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.