O'Neill may run Pavel and Irap in Pennsylvania Derby

Irap and Pavel may give owners Paul and Zillah Reddam and trainer Doug O’Neill a formidable duo in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Sept. 23.

O’Neill said on Wednesday that Pavel is being pointed for the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at 1 1/8 miles, and that Irap’s participation depends on the outcome of a workout on Saturday. Both colts are currently stabled at Parx.

“Irap is due to work on Saturday,” O’Neill said. “If he works as well as we hope, then it’s possible Irap would start next in the Penn Derby.

“Ideally, we’d keep them separated, but if we see a dynamite work, it’s an option for Irap. It’s $1 million and they’re back there.”

Irap has won three graded stakes for 3-year-olds this year – the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in April, the Grade 3 Ohio Derby at Thistledown in June, and the Grade 3 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand in July.

Irap was 18th in the Kentucky Derby and third in the Grade 1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 26 in his latest start. O’Neill said an alternative race for Irap is the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes against older horses at Santa Anita on Sept. 30.

Pavel won the Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Parx on Monday in his third start to join the list of contenders for the Pennsylvania Derby. Pavel earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 103 for a six-length win in the Smarty Jones.

O’Neill has travel plans for Munny Spunt, the promoted winner of the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Del Mar on Aug. 27. Munny Spunt is scheduled to run in the Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks in West Virginia on Sept. 23. The $300,000 Charles Town Oaks is run at seven furlongs.

Owned by a partnership that includes O’Neill, Munny Spunt finished second in the Torrey Pines Stakes at a mile, but was promoted to first after Zapperkat was disqualified for causing interference in the stretch.