Inaugural Parx Derby, Oaks anchor strong card

Parx Racing has put together a nice Derby Day card of its own that will feature four $75,000 stakes and a no-conditions allowance race with a $54,000 purse.

The Parx Derby and Oaks, both at a mile and 70 yards, are new to the calendar this season under first-year Director of Racing Sam Elliott. They will be joined Saturday by two seven-furlong Pennsylvania-bred stakes, the Lyman Handicap and the Foxy J. G.

Two-time graded stakes winner Valid, who won the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup last summer and the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper in February for trainer Marcus Vitali, will be favored in the no-conditions allowance.

The Parx Derby is first up as race 6. The seven-horse field has lured Bluegrass Singer, trained by Vitali; Federico Tesio winner Bodhisattva; and Unrivaled, who has scored two impressive wins over the Parx track.

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Bluegrass Singer won the one-mile Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream Park in January. He has since finished third in the Holy Bull, sixth in the Fountain of Youth, and fourth in the Swale.

Bluegrass Singer is based at Monmouth Park. Vitali, who raced for many years in New England, has given the mount to Tammi Piermarini, the winner of many Suffolk Downs riding titles.

Bodhisattva has been steadily improving for owner-trainer Jose Corrales and earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure in the Tesio on April 18. He has made his last two starts around two turns and should be prominent from the outset. He is stabled at Laurel Park.

Unrivaled has scored going away in maiden and allowance races at Parx for trainer Marya Montoya. He never got untracked in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland last time out but has an explosive late turn of foot.

Unrivaled is based at Parx and will be ridden by Frankie Pennington.

Oaks: By the Moon favored

With Money’soncharlotte expected to instead run in the Kentucky Oaks, a field of 11 is expected for the Parx Oaks.

Grade 1 Frizette winner By the Moon, trained by Michelle Nevin, should go favored off her sharp score in the $100,000 Caesar’s Wish at Laurel Park on March 21. That was a one-turn mile, however, and By the Moon has made only one start around two turns, an eighth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Others to watch in the Oaks are Busanda winner Overprepared, trained by Todd Pletcher, and Danzatrice, a winner of 2 of 3 for Cathal Lynch.

◗ In the 14-horse Lyman Handicap, Sailor’s Revenge is the 3-1 morning-line favorite. Trained by Kathy DeMasi, Sailor’s Revenge finished fourth, beaten three-quarters of a length by Page McKenney, in the John B. Campbell at Laurel Park in his last start Feb. 14.

◗ Disco Chick, trained by Mario Serey Jr., could be favored in the 13-horse Foxy J. G. for fillies and mares.