2017 Pennsylvania Derby Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G1 Pennsylvania Derby comes our way this Saturday, September 23 at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. Three-year olds will line up on Parx's dirt track and race 1 1/8 miles for the winner's portion of the generous $1 million purse.

A strong field of 10 will line up in the Pennsylvania Derby - race 11 on Parx's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:45 PM. Let's take a peek into the past performances of all 10 entries for this crucial and lucrative G1 stakes - one that could possibly determine this year's champion three-year-old.

2017 Pennsylvania Derby Entries at Parx Racing

West Coast 8-5

Has placed in all seven career starts for trainer Bob Baffert - five wins and two runner-up finishes. He enters on a nice four-race win streak - the G1 Travers Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths in wire-to-wire fashion last time out at Belmont Park August 26, the G3 Los Alamitos Derby July 15, the minor Easy Goer Stakes by an eye-opening 3 3/4 lengths after a troubled start at Belmont Park June 10 and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita May 20. Before that was a respectable second in his only other graded stakes action to date - the G3 Lexington Stakes at Keeneland April 15, a maiden score in March and a second in his debut. West Coast has been a factor in every race so far, is now in the conversation for three-year-old championship honors and is expected to be a factor again Saturday with Mike Smith in the reins of the obvious morning line favorite - from gate 4.

Irap 3-1

Doug O'Neill trained colt has three wins, three seconds and two third-place finishes in his 12 career starts. He started his career with a third and a fourth respectively in a pair of MSW races and went on to a respectable runner-up finish in the G1 Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity December 10. He enters off an OK third behind West Coast in the G1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga August 26 which followed a nice two-race wins streak - the G2 Indiana Derby by five lengths July 15 and the G3 Ohio Derby at Thistletown June 24. Before that was an unflattering eighteenth in the Kentucky Derby May 6, a good win over a very competitive field in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland April 8, a slightly disappointing fourth in the G3 Sunland Derby March 26 and consecutive runner-up finishes - in the minor Mine That Bird Derby at Sunland Park February 26 and the G2 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita February 4. Irap arrives in pretty good form and will have Mario Gutierrez guiding the morning line second choice from post 5 Saturday.

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Irish War Cry 9-2

Graham Motion trained colt will hit the track for the ninth time Saturday having posted four wins and a second-place finish in his eight starts so far. Last time out was a slightly disappointing fourth after weakening in the G1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park July 30 which followed a quality runner-up finish to Tapwrit in the G1 Belmont Stakes June 10, a disappointing tenth in the Kentucky Derby, a nice win in the G2 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct April 8 and a seventh as even-money favorite in the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 4. Before that he won the G2 Holy Bull Stakes by 3 3/4 lengths with a 102 Beyer Speed Figure at Gulfstream February 4 and won the restricted Marylander Stakes December 31 at Laurel Park. Irish War Cry was firmly in the Kentucky Derby conversation but has been a tad tough to figure out most recently. He tries to gain a little consistency Saturday with Feargal Lynch aboard the intriguing third betting choice from gate 8.

Timeline 5-1

Late-blooming Chad Brown trained colt has five career starts and four nice wins - on four different tracks. Last time out was a bit of a step back however - a fifth in the G1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park July 30 which followed wins - in gate-to-wire fashion in the G3 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park June 18, in his graded stakes debut - the G3 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park May 13, an Allowance Optional Claiming April 6 and a maiden score at Gulfstream March 4. Timeline was terrific in his first four starts and will be after a strong bounce back Saturday from the rail. Javier Castellano will be in the saddle.

Outplay 12-1

Has placed in six of seven career starts for trainer Todd Pletcher - three wins, two seconds and a third-place finish. He steps into graded stakes company for the first time Saturday off a good win in the restricted $100,000 Curlin Stakes on this track July 28 which followed an OK third behind West Coast in the listed Easy Goer Stakes at Belmont Park June 10 and consecutive wins including an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track in May. Outplay steps up off a career-best effort and will leave from gate 2 with John Velazquez in the irons.

Game Over 15-1

Jorge Navarro trained colt has four career starts win two wins and a second-place finish. Last time out was a decent runner-up finish in the G3 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer August 5 after a slightly unsuccessful first step into stakes company - a fifth in the G3 Ohio Derby at Thistletown June 24, a Starter Allowance score at Churchill Downs May 14 and a maiden win at first asking at Oaklawn Park March 25. Game Over has been OK so far and hopes for a first stakes win from post 7. Kendrick Carmouche has been tabbed to ride.

Giuseppe the Great 20-1

Nick Zito trained colt has placed in five of seven career starts - one win, three seconds and a third-place finish. Last time out was a sixth in the G1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga August 26 which followed a nice second against a good field in the G2 Jim Dandy Stakes on that track July 27, a fourth in the G3 Dwyer Stakes July 8 at Belmont Park, a respectable second in the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes on that track June 10 and a maiden score at Keeneland April 8. Giuseppe The Great has been decent in his career so far and shoots for a first stakes win Saturday with Luis Saez guiding him from the outside post 10.

Term of Art 20-1

Has placed in six of 12 career starts for trainer Doug O'Neill - two wins, a second and three third place finishes. He enters off a seventh in the G3 Los Alamitos Derby July 15, an OK third in the G3 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita June 24, a disappointing last of 10 finish in the Preakness Stakes May 20 and a seventh in the G1 Santa Anita Derby April 8. Before that was a decent third in the G2 San Felipe Stakes March 11, a fourth in the G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes here February 4, a fifth in the G3 Sham Stakes January 7 and a career-best effort - a win in the G3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar November 27. He also had a ninth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and a maiden score October 8. Term Of Art has been inconsistent so far, was well-beaten in his last seven starts overall but hopes for a second graded stakes score Saturday. Jockey Drayden Van Dyke will try to accomplish that goal from post 9.

Talk Logistics 20-1

Has 10 career starts for trainer Edward Plesa with a win, five seconds and a third-place finish. He enters on the heels of four straight runner-up finishes - the G3 Smarty Jones Stakes on this track last time out September 4, the listed Long Branch Stakes July 8, the G3 Pegasus Stakes June 18 and an Allowance Optional Claiming May 13 - the last three at Monmouth Park. Before that was a sixth in the G1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream April 1 and consecutive fourths - beaten by a combined 26 1/2 lengths in those races - in the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes March 4 and in the G2 Holy Bull Stakes February 4 - both at Gulfstream. Talk Logistics hasn't been afraid of top company, has certainly been decent so far in his career and will be out to snap his string of seconds from gate 6 Saturday. Frankie Pennington gets the call.

Watch Me Whip 20-1

Has one win and a second-place finish in four career starts for trainer Dale Romans. He arrives on the heels of a fourth-place finish in his graded stakes debut - the G3 Indiana Derby at Indiana Grand July 15 which followed a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Churchill Downs June 25, an eighth in the minor LARC Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico May 20 and a win at first asking April 14. Watch Me Whip hasn't been great in stakes company but hopes to change all of that around from post 3 Saturday. Robby Albarado rides.

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2017 Pennsylvania Derby Odds & Entries

Race 11 on Parx Racing's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:45 PM.