Parx Racing announced its stakes schedule today for the 2013 season. Last year, for the first time in its history, the track scheduled its two biggest races for the same day. The response was so positive that the track will do the same this fall. The G1 Cotillion Stakes and the G2 Pennsylvania Derby, both with a purse of $1 million, will be run on Saturday, September 21st. Placed now six weeks before the Breeders Cup, top trainers can now use the two races as final prep races for their stars in the 3YO and 3YO filly divisions before heading to Championship weekend at Santa Anita. By running the two million dollar races on the same day, Parx becomes the only track, other than Santa Anita for Breeders Cup weekend, to host two million dollar races on the same program.
Other highlights of the 2013 stakes schedule include two Breeders Cup “Win and You’re In” races run on a tremendous Labor Day card and PA Day at the Races scheduled for Saturday, September 7th. The “Win and You’re In” races are the G3 $200,000 Greenwood Cup and the G3 $350,000 Turf Monster Handicap. They’ll be run on a holiday card that also features the G3 $350,000 Smarty Jones Stakes and the $200,000 Turf Amazon Handicap. PA Day features five stakes for the top state-breds in training with purses totaling $400,000. Parx now hosts 11 major stakes of which 8 of them are now graded
Here’s a rundown of the track’s major stakes for the 2013 season:
June 22nd - $100,000 Don Le Vine Memorial - 7 Fur, Three & Up
July 2nd - $250,000 Dr. James Penny Memorial (G3) - 1 1/16th miles (T), F&M Three & Up
July 5th - $200,000 Parx Sprint (G3) - 5 Fur (T), Three & Up
Sept 2nd - $200,000 Greenwood Cup (G3) - 1 1/4 miles, Three & Up
Sept 2nd - $350,000 Smarty Jones Stakes (G3) - 1 1/16 miles, Three year - olds
Sept 2nd - $350,000 Turf Monster Handicap (G3) - 5 Fur (T), Three & Up
Sept 2nd - $200,000 Turf Amazon Handicap - 5 Fur (T), F&M Three & Up
Sept 14th - $250,000 PTHA Presidents Cup - 1 1/8 miles (T), Three & Up
Sept 21st - $1,000,000 Pennsylvania Derby (G2) - 1 1/8 miles, Three year - olds
Sept 21st - $1,000,000 Cotillion Stakes (G1) - 1 1/16 miles, Three year - old fillies
Sept 21st - $300,000 Gallant Bob Handicap (G3) - 6 Fur, Three year - olds
