Pennsylvania Derby Day and a Brand New Belmont

A Million at Parx, a New Belmont, and Fireworks Under the Lights

Belmont Park threw open its doors Friday for the first time in three years, and Forever Young made sure nobody forgot it, stalking Phileas Fogg through a mile of the Jockey Club Gold Cup before drawing off by 3 1/4 lengths under Ryusei Sakai. That is a ticket punched to the Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 31 at Keeneland. Stars and Stripes grabbed second and Baeza, last year's Pennsylvania Derby winner, was third after another slow start. Now the weekend really begins.

Circle Saturday at Parx. The last Grade 1 chances of the year for three-year-olds in their own divisions on dirt land on the same 15-race card, first post 10:35 a.m. Eastern, with $2 million and a stack of championship arguments waiting to be settled.

The Cotillion goes first, race 13 at 4:58 p.m. at 1 1/16 miles, and it drew nine. Kentucky Oaks winner Always a Runner is the 8-5 favorite from post four for Chad Brown and Jose Ortiz, and she arrives needing a win. The Gun Runner filly rolled through three straight victories to open the year, then ran into Counting Stars twice at Saratoga and finished second in both the Acorn and the Coaching Club American Oaks. Mark Casse's Measure is the 4-1 second choice with Manny Franco up, still chasing a first graded win after getting beaten a neck in the Alabama. Todd Pletcher's Zany, the beaten Kentucky Oaks favorite, is 9-2. Add Black-Eyed Susan and Monmouth Oaks winner My Miss Mo plus last year's Frizette winner Iron Orchard at 12-1, and this is no soft spot for a favorite who has been outrun twice.

Fifty minutes later comes the Pennsylvania Derby at 1 1/8 miles, 11 strong, post time 5:48 p.m. Further Ado is the 2-1 morning line choice for Brad Cox after a fifth-place run in a sloppy Haskell where he lost a shoe. Flavien Prat, the best big-race rider in America right now, picks up the mount with Irad Ortiz sidelined by injury, and that is a vote worth noting. Florida Derby runner-up The Puma sits at 4-1 for Gustavo Delgado with Javier Castellano, facing a softer Grade 1 than the summer threw at him. Chad Brown puts blinkers back on Gotham winner and Preakness runner-up Iron Honor at 5-1. Then there is Zihnal at 8-1, who added blinkers for the West Virginia Derby and won it by 6 1/4 lengths with John Velazquez, plus Our Moneyman and Igniter at the same price. My sentimental play is Micanopy, who won the local prep for connections who claimed him for $8,000 at Tampa Bay Downs in April. Earlier on the card, a dozen sprinters go six furlongs in the $400,000 Grade 2 Gallant Bob, and Bracket Buster is favored in the $300,000 Parx Dirt Mile, where 2023 Pennsylvania Derby winner Saudi Crown returns to old stomping ground.

Churchill Downs answers after dark. Explora, Bob Baffert's Test Stakes winner by five lengths, is 3-5 in the $300,000 Dogwood at seven furlongs, race 8 at 9:39 p.m., with Juan Hernandez from the rail and the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint as the target. Only five fillies took her on, led by Brad Cox's Audubon Oaks winner Conceit at 7-2. The Harrods Creek and the Seneca Overnight round out the evening.

Back on Long Island, the party rolls on. Saturday brings the $175,000 Floral Park for fillies and mares, first post 12:05. Sunday features the $175,000 Forever Together, where Destino d'Oro returns from six months off with a three-race win streak that includes the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Woodbine chips in with the Sweet Briar Too and the Grade 3 Durham Cup.

Breeders' Cup season starts right here.