Pennsylvania Derby: Taiba, Cyberknife rematch at heart of 11-horse scramble

The depth of the 3-year-old division is such that even without the presence of its leader, Epicenter, or any of the three winners of the Triple Crown races, Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby came up a strong race, with four Grade 1 winners among its 11 entrants.

Cyberknife and Taiba, separated by a head two months ago in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, head the field in the 1 1/8-mile race, but Blue Grass winner Zandon, Florida Derby winner White Abarrio and Grade 2 Fountain of Youth winner Simplification are all in with a chance.

“They’re good horses,” Bob Baffert, the trainer of Taiba said. “I think it’s a pretty strong field.”

Taiba, a son of Gun Runner, was talented enough to win the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in his second career start. The Kentucky Derby was probably too much too soon as he finished 12th, 17 3/4 lengths behind upset winner Rich Strike.

Following a freshening, Taiba ran in the Grade 1 Haskell, coming within a head of Cyberknife in a track-record time for 1 1/8 miles with Cyberknife rallying along the rail while Taiba was four wide under Mike Smith. Taiba again will be coming into a Grade 1 race off a two-month freshening.

“He’s doing really well,” Baffert said. “He’s very competitive. As long as Mike can get him in a position where turning for home he’s right there . . . he reminds me a lot of [1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner] Silver Charm – he’ll gut it out.”

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Cyberknife’s last two graded stakes wins have come by a nose and a head. Following an 18th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, Cyberknife won the Matt Winn by a nose and then beat Taiba a head in the Haskell.

In the Travers, with no confirmed speed in the field, Cyberknife set the pace but was no match for Epicenter, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness runner-up who vaulted to the top of the division with convincing victories in the Jim Dandy and Travers.

Brad Cox, the trainer of Cyberknife, was not necessarily going to run his horse in the Pennsylvania Derby, but the horse trained too well to skip the race.

“Why hold him out of it? It’s a Grade 1, $1 million race and he’s doing great,” Cox said. “Hopefully, we can add to his stallion value. It was not necessary to train him from the Travers to the Breeders’ Cup.”

Cox didn’t mind Cyberknife being on the lead in the Travers, a race in which he broke from the rail. Saturday, Cyberknife is in post 5 and that should allow Florent Geroux to ride the horse as he sees fit. We the People is likely the primary speed in the Pennsylvania Derby.

“I think there’s going to be some pace in front of him, so hopefully he can get a pocket trip,” Cox said.

Cox also sends out Tawny Port, who finished third behind Epicenter and Zandon in the Jim Dandy after winning the Ohio Derby.

A truly run race and the cutback to 1 1/8 miles makes Zandon a player in the Pennsylvania Derby. He came from well off the pace to win the Blue Grass and was probably too close to the pace when running second to Epicenter in the Jim Dandy. He finished third in both the Kentucky Derby and Travers, confirming that 1 1/4 miles is too far for the son of Upstart.

Trainer Chad Brown is making a rider change to Joel Rosario, who rode the horse to victory in his career debut. Brown said he doesn’t think previous rider Flavien Prat did anything wrong in the colt’s last starts.

“Maybe trying to light a spark or change his perspective a little bit,” Brown said.

White Abarrio won the Holy Bull and Florida Derby this winter in Florida but was 16th in the Kentucky Derby. After running second to Tawny Port in the Ohio Derby, White Abarrio was beaten 34 1/2 lengths in the Grade 1 Haskell.

White Abarrio has been training lights out at Saratoga for the last month, which is why Saffie Joseph Jr. wants to give the horse a shot in this race. Joseph won this race in 2019 with longshot Math Wizard.

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“Obviously, the last race was abysmal,” Joseph said. “We started from scratch with him and he sold himself that he’s in good form. When you’re coming off that kind of race it’s hard to go in with confidence but he’s as good as he’s ever been. We go there hopeful more than confident.”

Joseph said he wouldn’t mind seeing jockey Luis Saez put White Abarrio into the race from his outside draw.

Joseph also sends out Skippylongstocking, who comes in off a win over We the People and Simplification in the West Virginia Derby.

Simplification, trained by Antonio Sano, won the Fountain of Youth, was third in the Florida Derby, and then finished fourth in the Kentucky Derby. He bled when running sixth in the Preakness before getting a break. He came off the bench with a third in the West Virginia Derby. He has been based at Parx long enough to get two works over the track.

B Dawk, Icy Storm, and Naval Aviator are longshots in this field.

The Pennsylvania Derby goes as race 12 on a 13-race card that has 10 stakes, including the Grade 1 Cotillion for 3-year-old fillies. First post is 12:05 p.m.

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