The cars scooting along on the nearby Pennsylvania Turnpike may have little from a speed standpoint on Saturday's GI Pennsylvania Derby in Northeast Philly, as the pace looks to be very much on and that could help those with stalking or closing ability in the final age-restricted Grade I of the season around two turns.But make no mistake: speed has been king–by and large–in the $1-million contest over the past dozen years or so. The Bob Baffert-trained Bayern (Offlee Wild)–next-out winner of a much-discussed GI Breeders' Cup Classic–future champion West Coast (Flatter) and McKinzie (Street Sense) each gave their rivals a galloping lesson more or less from the front, while Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) and Seize the Grey (Arrogate) also led throughout in the last few renewals.While the Parx main track can be friendly to those types of horses, the likes of champion and Classic runner-up Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), Frosted (Tapit) and the Baffert-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) came with a run from midpack or thereabouts to take down the lion's share of the prize money.After being added to this year's GI Kentucky Derby field at the 11th hour, $1.2-million Keeneland September purchase Baeza (McKinzie) closed into a strong pace to finish third behind Sovereignty (Into Mischief), but he lacked the necessary finish when staying on for third in the GI Belmont Stakes, though he was always within shouting distance. Much handier to the speed in the GII Jim Dandy Stakes, the bay nevertheless dropped a third straight decision to the champion 3-year-old elect on July 26, and it remains to be seen what sort of trip he might sit on Saturday from an outside gate.One thing is for sure. Baeza is doing as well as he can in the week since his arrival in the City of Brotherly Love.“He has settled right in and is feeling good,” trainer John Shirreffs told the Parx media team. “Once he gets into a routine, he is OK. One thing we have seen with Baeza is that he handles different tracks. This would be a great race to win. Grade I, a million dollars. There is a lot on the line.”Seize the Grey upset last year's Preakness before causing a bit of an upset here 12 months ago, and this year's runner-up at Old Hilltop, Gosger (Nyquist), will have his fair share of backers on Saturday. The GIII Stonestreet Lexington Stakes hero looked to have the Preakness all sewn up but for an other-worldly finish from Journalism (Curlin) and it was deja vu all over again in the GI Haskell Invitational Stakes last time, as the Californian found his best stride in the nick of time. Trainer Brendan Walsh is hopeful that the gray colt can finally get over the Grade I hump.“I hope so; at this stage I'd say he probably deserves to get one,” said Walsh, who also saddles the less-exposed Nyquist colt David of Athens for Wathnan Racing. “He's run two really, really good races. He's done nothing wrong since he started. He's only run what, five times now, and hasn't been worse than second. This race sets up good for him. Plenty of speed in there. It looks like a similar setup to the Haskell.”'TDN Rising Star' Goal Oriented (Not This Time) has that speedy profile of those former Baffert trainees listed above and his close third in the Haskell–on the back of a fourth in the Preakness–suggested he can run with this kind of horse.“He's getting better. He's a big beautiful horse,” Baffert said of the $425,000 KEESEP grad. “He's going to have to improve. They're all improving.”Big Truzz (Justify) was named a 'TDN Rising Star' on 6 1/2-furlong debut at Keeneland in April, but dropped his next three before dominating the Aug. 10 Ellis Park Derby by seven lengths going that track's modified one-turn mile. Mo Plex (Complexity) won the GIII Ohio Derby June 21, but stumbled at the start of the Jim Dandy and dropped away to finish better than 10 lengths adrift of Sovereignty in fourth. Joe Ramos, who was in the irons at Thistledown, makes the trip to the Keystone State.Good Cheer Shoots For Oaks/Cotillion DoubleThe $1-million GI Cotillion Stakes serves as a mouth-watering appetizer for the Derby about 45 minutes later and brings together three of the best sophomore fillies in training not named Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro).Godolphin's Good Cheer (Medaglia d'Oro) was a bit of a later-starting sort at two, but ran the table in four starts, including the GII Golden Rod Stakes in late November. Dominating winner of the GII Rachel Alexandra Stakes and GII Fair Grounds Oaks, the homebred daughter of Wedding Toast (Street Sense) ran her winning streak to seven in a sloppy renewal of the GI Kentucky Oaks and looks to snap a baby two-race skid here. She cuts back to nine panels off a second to Nitrogen in the GI Alabama Stakes and looks to join the likes of Ashado, Plum Pretty, Untapable and last year's winner Thorpedo Anna as those to complete the Oaks/Cotillion double.“I'm hoping for a little bit better set up in the race Saturday as opposed to the Alabama,” said trainer Brad Cox, who has somewhat surprisingly yet to win the Cotillion. “Just not a lot of pace last time to run into. But she ran well. It was a very good effort. If we can get that effort with a better setup, we're in good position. On paper, we could get that set up. We never really know until we run the race. But this race looks like it could set up for her maybe a touch better than the Alabama did.”Good Cheer | Equi-PhotoLa Cara (Street Sense) wired the GI Central Bank Ashland Stakes in April, but faded to ninth in the Oaks before bouncing back with a 7-1 upset from the front in the GI Acorn Stakes June 6. This trip is likely more suitable for her than the Alabama, where she weakened out to be a distant fourth.The rail-drawn Scottish Lassie (McKinzie) could kick off a very productive hour for her sire and if her 15 1/2-length romp in the GI CCA Oaks going this distance is a true indication of where she's at, the others may be running for second. That said, she got away with a fairly comfortable pace at Saratoga and there appears to be other quality speed signed on this time around, though she does not need the lead to be effective.“There is a lot of pressure and a lot of nerves,” her trainer Jorge Abreu said. “I feel pressure, but I feel pressure going into every race. Every time I try this filly in a Grade I, she shows up. Nothing bothers her.”To the extent it is relevant, Alabama third Dry Powder (Gun Runner) returned to rout Ourdaydreaminggirl (Instagrand) in the local Cathryn Sophia Stakes on Aug. 19.In the afternoon's other graded events, Barnes (Into Mischief) looks squarely the one to beat in the GII Gallant Bob Stakes dropping out of a good third in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at the Spa Aug. 23, while Digital Ops (Nyquist) will try to make all from the fence in the GIII Greenwood Cup Stakes over a three-turn mile and a half.Breeders' Cup Berth On the Line In Princess RooneyTrainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. sent out Soul of an Angel (Atreides) to upset the 2024 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint and the conditioner will be represented by three of the remaining seven runners for Saturday's GIII Princess Rooney Stakes with an all-expenses paid trip to Del Mar up for grabs.Mystic Lake (Mo Town) would otherwise figure a strong favorite in the race, but she is set to be scratched in favor of Saturday's Liberty Bell Stakes at Parx. In her absence, Claret Beret (Not This Time) could be the one they have to beat off a near 20-length romp going a mile here on May 11 in her first start since being transferred from trainer Greg Compton and a close runner-up effort to the classy Vahva (Gun Runner) in the GII Chicago Stakes at Churchill Downs June 21. She was eased home when well-bet in the GI Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 23, but has worked well since and is a bounce-back candidate.Joseph, Jr. also sends out GIII Vagrancy Stakes heroine, the Arkansas-bred Haulin Ice (Coal Front) and Ultimate Authority (Practical Joke), a two-time winner and Grade II-placed from eight starts in California for Tim Yakteen and making her first start for the barn.Sophomore Fillies Center Stage In NY, KYThree-year-old fillies get a crack at graded stakes company two-turning on the grass at Aqueduct and sprinting over main track at Churchill Downs in the GIII Winter Memories Stakes and GIII Dogwood Stakes, respectively, Saturday afternoon.Chad Brown and the late Christophe Clement have each trained three winners of the Winter Memories, and the former has a couple of chances to build on that record Saturday. Opulent Restraint (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the daughter of the talented three-time graded winner Significant Form (Creative Cause), is winless in four starts this season and is exiting third-place efforts in the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational at Saratoga July 5 and in the GII Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes on Aug. 9.Interestingly, Flavien Prat deserts the rail runner in favor of Griselda (Fr) (City Light {Fr}), who one just once from five starts in France, but faced males in four of those outings, including a listed-placing on her final European appearance last November. The chestnut defeated her peers in a one-mile Saratoga allowance on U.S. debut Aug. 6.May Day Ready (Tapit) reunites with Frankie Dettori after carrying Jose Ortiz to a front-running victory in the GII Lake Placid Stakes at the Spa on Aug. 23.The Dogwood has attracted a field of eight, topped by a pair of 'TDN Rising Stars'. Godolphin's Ragtime (Union Rags) opened her account at first asking at odds of 9-1 and took a July 5 allowance at Saratoga before just missing in the Aug. 2 GI Test Stakes. Bill Mott takes the blinkers off and Junior Alvarado is in for the ride. Rigney Racing's Delightful Claire (Thousand Words) was a debut third at this venue June 8, then overwhelmed a field of Saratoga maidens by 9 1/4 lengths Aug. 2. Odds-on for the Test, the $250,000 Fasig-Tipton July graduate stumbled at the break and finished with interest for second.The post Baeza Rates The Marquee In Pennsylvania Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.