The Puma landed the first Grade 1 victory of his career in the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing on Saturday, September 19, holding off Further Ado by half a length under Javier Castellano. Trained by Gustavo Delgado, the 3-year-old son of Essential Quality covered the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.10 and returned $7.40 for a $2 win bet.
Settled third from last in the early stages as the leaders cut out fractions of 23.27 and 47.69 seconds, The Puma launched a sweeping move around the far turn, briefly engaged Sassmaster and then opened up a three-length advantage after a mile in 1:36.64. Further Ado closed steadily in the stretch but could not get past, with Sassmaster holding third a further length and a half back.
The Puma, who won the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Derby and finished second in the Florida Derby before missing the Kentucky Derby with leg swelling caused by a skin infection, had finished fourth in both the Haskell and the Travers. He wore blinkers for the first time at Parx on Castellano’s recommendation. “He was more in the bridle, more focused today. I really like the way he did it,” the jockey said. The colt is owned by OGMA Investments, High Step Racing, TCC Stables, YNG Stables and JR Ranch.
Earlier on the card, Bodacious Bay sprang a 3 1/4-length upset in the $1 million Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes, beating odds-on Kentucky Oaks winner Always a Runner with Measure third. Ridden by Micah Husbands for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., the daughter of Not This Time stopped the clock in 1:43.60 for 1 1/16 miles, paid $12.20 to win and earned $564,000 for her first stakes victory.
“I was loaded the whole way,” Husbands said. “She finished it off like a monster.” Joseph added that the filly “could develop into probably the best filly next year.”
