On Saturday, September 20, 2025, Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, hosted one of the most anticipated cards of the fall season, capped by the Pennsylvania Derby. The day drew a lively crowd under clear skies, with the spotlight on several key prep races for the Breeders’ Cup in November.

These included the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby (a “Win and You’re In” for the Classic or Dirt Mile), the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes (earning a berth in the Distaff), the Grade 2 Gallant Bob Stakes (a Sprint qualifier), and the Listed Parx Dirt Mile (a potential stepping stone to the Dirt Mile).  Here’s a race-by-race breakdown of these Breeders’ Cup preps.

The Cotillion Stakes (Grade 1, $1 Million, 1 1/16 Miles, 3-Year-Old Fillies)

The afternoon’s first big test for the Distaff hopefuls unfolded as a tactical affair, with a moderate early pace that set up a nail-biting finish. La Cara, seeking a rebound from her spring form, bolted to the lead from the rail under Dylan Davis, clipping the opening quarter in :23.73 and the half in :47.38. Dry Powder, a game presser from the outside under Antonio Fresu, shadowed her every step, refusing to let La Cara get comfortable. The pair traded bumps early on—no major trouble, but enough jostling to keep things tense—while Clicquot, the 5-1 shot with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, settled in fifth, biding her time just off the leaders.

As they hit the far turn, Dry Powder shook free and looked home free, drawing a length clear with Scottish Lassie (the favorite) launching a wide bid from the back. But Clicquot, trained by Brendan Walsh, exploded through the stretch like a coiled spring, surging down the center of the track to collar Dry Powder in the final strides. She stuck her head in front right at the wire for a neck victory, completing the trip in 1:42.85 on a fast track. The 42-1 longshot Ourdaydreaminggirl, closing from dead last under Eliseo Ruiz, rocketed home a head behind Dry Powder for third in a photo that had the crowd roaring. La Cara tired to fifth after setting the pace, and Good Cheer, another contender, dulled badly under Luis Saez, finishing last after showing no interest past the half-mile mark—her connections later chalked it up to an off day rather than any interference.

Finishing order: 1. Clicquot, 2. Dry Powder (neck back), 3. Ourdaydreaminggirl (nose more), 4. Scottish Lassie, 5. La Cara, 6. Good Cheer.

Post-race, Walsh was all smiles in the winner’s circle, calling it a career-defining moment for his charge. “It’s easy to say it now, but for her to come and beat these fillies—a relatively lightly raced filly—I thought it was quite an accomplishment,” he said. “We had the plan the whole time to go here if she won at Indiana and give her a chance. She’s been working unbelievably well. Like a top-class horse does. You can see by her demeanor; she’s just all class. I can’t say enough about her. She makes our job easy.” Dry Powder’s trainer, Chad Summers, was gracious in defeat but optimistic: “To run in this race against three Grade 1 winners and an up-and-coming Clicquot, you couldn’t ask for a better race than that. She’s come close in some of these stakes races. We won the Cathryn Sophia, but we just have to get to work a little bit. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of her yet.” Ortiz, keeping it short, just grinned and said Clicquot “gave me everything she had when I asked.” This win punches her ticket to the Distaff, and Walsh hinted they might point that way if she bounces back sharp.

The Gallant Bob Stakes (Grade 2, $400,000, 6 Furlongs, 3-Year-Olds)

If the Cotillion was a chess match, the Gallant Bob turned into a sprint brawl from the jump, rewarding speed on a track playing fair but favoring the front. Mad House, a Minnesota shipper from trainer David VanWinkle, rocketed to the lead under Paco Lopez, scorching the first quarter in :21.58 and the half in :43.94—blistering fractions that had the field chasing shadows. The 23-1 outsider dueled gamely with early challengers like Fire Pit, but no one could sustain the pressure; Lopez kept Mad House under a snug rein, and he kicked away in the lane, crossing 2 3/4 lengths clear in 1:08.77. The even bigger longshot Gateskeeper (83-1) rallied late for second, nipping Fire Pit on the wire for the show spot, while the heavy favorite Barnes—Bob Baffert’s highly touted Into Mischief colt with Umberto Rispoli—lurked at the rear before a furious wide rally that fell a neck short of second in fourth.

Finishing order: 1. Mad House, 2. Gateskeeper (2 3/4 back), 3. Fire Pit (nose), 4. Barnes (neck more), with the rest strung out behind.

The upset paid a whopping $49 to win, sending bettors scrambling for their programs. VanWinkle, who saddled the gelding out of Canterbury Park, couldn’t hide his disbelief: “The meet at Canterbury was coming to an end. We just looked for a 3-year-old stakes race that he could fit in, and we thought we’d try to win this one.” On his pre-race chat with Lopez, he added, “I said that he runs better if he could make the lead.” Lopez, flashing a thumbs-up, replied simply, “He said, ‘Oh, we can do that.'” No major trouble marred the race—Barnes’ connections later said he was simply too far back on a speed-favoring day, with no excuses beyond the trip. This victory extends Mad House’s streak to four and locks in a Sprint berth; owner James Thares joked they might “take the bus back to Minnesota” before eyeing bigger ponds.

The Pennsylvania Derby (Grade 1, $1 Million, 1 1/8 Miles, 3-Year-Olds)

Saving the best for last, the Pennsylvania Derby delivered classic drama for the Classic hopefuls. Baeza, the 7-5 favorite and a multiple Grade 1-placed colt by McKinzie (out of the star mare Puca), finally broke through for his first top-level win after heartbreaking near-misses in the Kentucky Derby, Belmont, and Santa Anita Derby. Under Hector Berrios, Baeza dropped back to seventh early as So Sandy reeled off fractions of :23.01, :46.63, and 1:10.51. No chaos in the pack—David of Athens and Goal Oriented pressed without incident—but Baeza’s patient ride paid dividends. Berrios swung him four wide around the final turn, and the colt unleashed a devastating kick, blowing past Goal Oriented at the top of the lane and drawing off 2 1/4 lengths clear in 1:48.03. Magnitude, a 10-1 shot, grinded home second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of the fading pacesetter So Sandy in fourth.

Finishing order: 1. Baeza, 2. Magnitude (2 1/4 back), 3. Goal Oriented (1 1/2 more), 4. So Sandy.

Trainer John Shirreffs, who hadn’t notched a Grade 1 since 2022, called it emotional: “Today was one of the most exciting races I have ever participated in, to tell you the truth. And that includes races that included Zenyatta. This was like, ‘prove yourself today.’ And he did. Because of all the hope we had for Baeza, all that build-up. Working at the barn, working with him… it was just like, ‘this is it today.'” On Baeza’s growth, he added, “He’s really shown great signs of maturity. When he went to the Kentucky Derby, he was never exposed to anything. Now it’s like he can handle the races and not have the downtime.” Berrios, beaming, said, “Once he responded and I saw the other horses, I said ‘It’s our win. Our race.'” Owner Lee Searing of C R K Stable was thrilled: “He’s a late foal, and John is the perfect trainer. With this kind of horse, you’ve got to be really patient… I don’t care who we run against; this horse is right there.” The win earns a Classic ticket, and Shirreffs eyes a rematch with Jim Dandy rival Sovereignty: “I always look forward to a shot at him. We were one length behind; maybe we can make it up.

“This card solidified Parx as a Breeders’ Cup launchpad, with four automatic qualifiers and stories that could carry into Del Mar. Baeza’s maturity, Clicquot’s class, Mad House’s shock value, and Nelson Avenue’s resilience all point to exciting fall developments. If the rest of prep season matches this, we’re in for a treat.