Pennsylvania Derby foes could meet again in Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile

A rematch of the Pennsylvania Derby could be on at the Breeders’ Cup.

The trainers of both winner Math Wizard and runner-up Mr. Money said the Grade 1, $1 million Dirt Mile on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita is being considered for their charges. The horses finished a neck apart last Saturday.

“I think all options are on the table at the moment, the Dirt Mile and the Classic,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Tuesday of Breeders’ Cup choices for Math Wizard.

Bret Calhoun, who trains Mr. Money, said much the same Tuesday.

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“We’re open-minded about both races,” he said. “Right now, I’d say we’d consider the Dirt Mile ahead of the Classic.”

Math Wizard picked up his first stakes victory in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby, catching pacesetter Mr. Money at 31-1.

“I was just hoping he would get there,” Joseph said. “I was saying, ‘Please get there.’ When he got there, it was unbelievable.”

Joseph said Math Wizard could get a good pace to chase in the Dirt Mile, a two-turn race this year after City of Light captured a one-turn edition at Churchill Downs last year.

Joseph said Math Wizard was due home at Gulfstream Park on Wednesday. He said he wants to watch the horse over the next few weeks before making race decisions. Joseph said it is possible Math Wizard could be cross-entered in both the Classic and Dirt Mile.

Mr. Money had won four straight Grade 3 stakes leading into the Pennsylvania Derby. His streak began in May in the Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs and continued with the Matt Winn there, the Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand, and the West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer – the latter two races over Math Wizard. For the connections of Mr. Money, it was a tough beat Saturday.

“Obviously, it was disappointing,” Calhoun said. “I thought he ran a good race. We didn’t intend on being on the lead. [Improbable] didn’t break. We planned to be in a stalking position on the outside and ended up on the lead.

“The winner ran a big race. It was his day.”

Improbable, who finished a close fourth as the favorite, could be headed to the Dirt Mile, trainer Bob Baffert said Monday. Improbable earned his best Beyer Speed Figure, a 104, at a mile in the Shared Belief at Del Mar.

◗ Baffert said that Mucho Gusto, who could develop into a Dirt Mile candidate, is scheduled to run Sunday in the Oklahoma Derby. The 1 1/8-mile race produced the 2017 Dirt Mile winner in Battle of Midway.

◗ The Ack Ack on Saturday at Churchill also could produce Dirt Mile starters.