The $1 million Pennsylvania Derby is the final major stakes race on dirt restricted to 3-year-olds in 2026, and this year’s 46^th edition Sept. 19 at Parx Racing drew a very competitive 11-horse field vying for a share of the race’s lucrative purse.

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This 1 1/8-mile, Grade 1 stakes has been won by some top-flight 3-year-olds in its history, especially over the past 15 years, including Will Take Charge (2013), Bayern (2014), West Coast (2017), McKinzie (2018), Hot Rod Charlie (2021), Seize the Grey (2024), and Baeza (2025). The race anchors Parx Racing’s marquee annual card, featuring seven other stakes races, including the $1 million Cotillion Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

The 2026 Pennsylvania Derby will be broadcast live on FanDuel TV with a scheduled post time of 5:48 p.m. ET. Don’t miss ABR’s “Pennsylvania Derby & Presque Isle Downs Masters Preview Show!” set for Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. ET. This livestream hosted by Ashley Wood, Alexa Zepp, and Jessica Paquette will preview and offer gambling analysis of both the Pennsylvania Derby and Friday’s Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes. Presented by the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association, “Pennsylvania Derby & Presque Isle Downs Masters Preview Show!” will stream on ABR’s Facebook, X, and YouTube channels.

Read on for information about each of the Pennsylvania Derby contenders plus some gambling insights:

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1. Zihnal

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Jonathan Thomas

Owner: Augustin Stable

Career record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $286,421

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 95

Pedigree: Quality Road – Theodora B., by Ghostzapper

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Analysis: Zihnal is a colt on the upswing and stands an upset chance in the Pennsylvania Derby based on his races over the summer. He won a one-mile-and-70-yard maiden race on dirt in career start number three in June at Horseshoe Indianapolis, and then ran a solid fourth despite a poor start in the 1 1/16-mile Indiana Derby in early July, a race won by subsequent DraftKings Travers Stakes champ Leading Change. Then, Zihnal put it all together Aug. 9 at Mountaineer Park, romping to a 6 ¼-length win in the West Virginia Derby, held at the Pennsylvania Derby’s 1 1/8-mile distance. That was his first start with John Velazquez aboard, and the Hall of Famer returns to ride Saturday – a big plus. This is a tougher field than the one Zihnal faced at Mountaineer (West Virginia Derby runner-up Trendsetter came back to finish third as the 3-10 favorite in the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs last week). Still, Zihnal has proven form at 1 1/8 miles, a good route pedigree, and his speed figures are competitive with the top Pennsylvania Derby contenders.

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2. Iron Honor

Jockey: Jose Ortiz

Trainer: Chad Brown

Owners: St. Elias Stable, William Lawrence, and Glassman Racing

Career record: 5 starts – 2 wins – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $729,250

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 96

Pedigree: Nyquist – Orencia, by Blame

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Analysis: This colt figures to be one of the two or three Pennsylvania Derby entrants that vie for post-time favoritism along with The Puma and Further Ado. He started his racing career 2-for-2 with a sharp score in the one-mile Gotham Stakes in February, but has since gone winless in three starts. However, he’s run well in his two most recent outings against competition that’s equal to or tougher than the horses he’ll face Saturday. Iron Honor closed in the stretch to finish second to Napoleon Solo in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park in May. He then rallied again to nab third behind battling Baby Vino and Napoleon Solo in the 1 1/8-mile NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes July 18 at Monmouth Park. He edged The Puma for third in that race, and Further Ado was fifth. Now, Iron Honor will wear blinkers again after going without them in the Preakness and Haskell. Ideally, they’ll help him focus more and produce a stronger late finish. Flavien Prat, who rode Iron Honor in the Preakness and Haskell, is assigned to Further Ado in the Pennsylvania Derby, and this colt’s replacement jockey could not be a better one: current 2026 Eclipse Award favorite Jose Ortiz.

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3. Our Moneyman

Jockey: Manny Franco

Trainer: Bret Calhoun

Owner: KAS Stables

Career record: 9 starts – 3 wins – 5 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $392,067

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 100

Pedigree: Mr. Money – Lipstick Junky, by Flatter

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker/closer

Analysis: This Louisiana-bred colt doesn’t have the reputation of several of his fellow Pennsylvania Derby contenders as his recent starts haven’t been on national television. However, Our Moneyman is right alongside Iron Honor, The Puma, and Further Ado as a leading win candidate Saturday and is a must-use horse in all exotic bets. He has not finished worse than third in nine career starts and, other than checking in second by 6 ½ lengths in a six-furlong state-bred sprint stakes back in January, he’s never been less than two lengths behind the winning horse in the rest of his races. Our Moneyman’s two recent starts are the best of his career: second by two lengths to Further Ado in the 1 1/16-mile Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs in June and then second by a neck to Leading Change in the 1 1/16-mile Indiana Derby July 11 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. He had a rough trip early in that race and his jockey also lost his riding crop, yet Our Moneyman battled gamely with the subsequent Travers Stakes winner only to come up just short. He was sold for $2 million after the Indiana Derby and will now get a new jockey in Manny Franco, who comes in off of his first Saratoga riding title. The only slight concern with this colt is how he’ll handle racing 1 1/8 miles, a distance he hasn’t tried before. All in all, he’s got a solid win chance Saturday and could also carry attractive post-time odds.

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4. Igniter

Jockey: Luis Saez

Trainer: Rick Dutrow Jr.

Owner: Three Chimneys Farm

Career record: 8 starts – 4 wins – 0 seconds – 3 thirds

Career earnings: $463,700

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 97

Pedigree: Volatile – Malibu Prayer, by Malibu Moon

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

Analysis: Igniter is a solid mid-priced Pennsylvania Derby contender who has done his best running at distances from six furlongs to one mile and will need a career-best effort to have a chance at the upset. He comes in off of a driving four-length win in the Ellis Park Derby in early August, which was held at one mile and started in a chute on Ellis Park’s first turn. Prior to that, he had run in four consecutive races at either six or seven furlongs, winning two of them, including the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct in March, while finishing third in two other sprint stakes. Luis Saez had his first mount on this Volatile colt for the Ellis Park Derby and stays aboard Saturday, and he should have Igniter forwardly placed and ideally in a pace-pressing spot through the first mile or so. As noted, he’ll need to summon stamina he’s never really shown before to be in contention during the stretch run, and his pedigree offers some hope for that as he’s out of the Malibu Moon mare Malibu Prayer, who won the 1 1/8-mile Ruffian Invitational during her racing career.

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5. Talk to Me Jimmy

Jockey: Ruben Silvera

Trainer: Rudy Rodriguez

Owners: SEI Thoroughbreds, Rudy Rodriguez, and Michael Imperio

Career record: 7 starts – 3 wins – 2 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $357,000

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 98

Pedigree: Modernist – Prairie Trip, by Trippi

Color: Bay

Running style: Pacesetter/press the pace

Analysis: Talk to Me Jimmy figures to have an impact on the Pennsylvania Derby as one of two probable pacesetters along with Ponder to Dream, and he’s got an outside chance at pulling the upset. This popular New York-bred has only had one subpar outing in seven career starts, and even in his eighth-place finish in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino in April, he was only defeated by 4 ½ lengths. Since then, he’s finished a solid second in the 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan Stakes, won the 1 1/16-mile New York Derby by 1 ¼ lengths, and then finished second again in the 1 1/8-mile Albany Stakes, each of these races at different New York tracks. Overall, he has a record of 1-2-0 in four starts at the Pennsylvania Derby’s 1 1/8-mile distance, so he’s proven to be able to carry his speed over a route of ground. His running style should fit well with Parx’s speed-favoring track, but it’s worth noting that jockey Manny Franco, who’s been aboard Talk to Me Jimmy in five of his seven starts, including his three most recent ones, will ride Our Moneyman Saturday. Ruben Silvera, who rode the colt twice in early 2026, takes the reins again.

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6. The Puma

Jockey: Javier Castellano

Trainer: Gustavo Delgado

Owners: OGMA Investments, High Step Racing, TCC Stables, YNG Stables, and JR Ranch

Career record: 6 starts – 1 win – 2 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $567,280

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 100

Pedigree: Essential Quality – Eve of War, by Declaration of War

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Stalker/closer

Analysis: This talented colt hasn’t quite been able to recapture the form he displayed during the spring in two starts since returning from a 3 ½-month break, and perhaps the reason why offers a clue to how he’ll run Saturday. The Puma, who won the ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby and finished second by a nose in the Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa in March, came back in late July and has since raced against the best of his age group, finishing fourth in both the NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes held at 1 1/8 miles at Monmouth Park and the DraftKings Travers Stakes, the 1 ¼-mile “Mid-Summer Derby” at Saratoga. He was no threat to win either race but didn’t exactly run poorly either, and now The Puma will get some class relief in the Pennsylvania Derby. He’ll also wear blinkers for the first time in his career, which will ideally get him involved earlier in the race as he was last of seven through the first half-mile in the Haskell and then seventh of 10 through the same point in the Travers. Jockey Javier Castellano, who rode The Puma in his two big Florida races and also in the Travers, stays aboard Saturday. The Puma carries the credentials of a leading Pennsylvania Derby win candidate – but only if he can summon his springtime form.

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7. Further Ado

Jockey: Flavien Prat

Trainer: Brad Cox

Owner: Spendthrift Farm

Career record: 9 starts – 4 wins – 1 second – 1 third

Career earnings: $1,476,958

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 107

Pedigree: Gun Runner – Sky Dreamer, by Sky Mesa

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Press the pace/stalker

Analysis: Further Ado has been the in-the-flesh “horsification” of inconsistency through nine career starts. He’s alternated jaw-dropping performances resulting in open-length wins with outright dud efforts, including as the (lukewarm) favorite in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve when 11^th of 18 and in his most recent start as the 11-10 choice when fifth of seven in the NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes. Looking at his overall record, his four career wins have come at Keeneland and Churchill Downs (two wins apiece), although he did run well against The Puma in the ESMARK Tampa Bay Derby when second by three-quarters of a length over Tampa Bay Downs’ quirky dirt main track. His Haskell flop occurred on a sloppy track at Monmouth Park, and the forecast for Parx Racing six days out calls for sunny skies Sept. 18. He’s very likely to be overbet, but positives in Further Ado’s column are his ability to handle 1 1/8 miles (a win in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes in April) and his pace-pressing running style. Look for first-time jockey Flavien Prat to have him positioned third or fourth early on and close to projected leaders Ponder and Dream and Talk to Me Jimmy, in a good spot to bid for the lead early in the far turn.

8. Freedom’s Echo

Jockey: TBA

Trainer: Guadalupe Preciado

Owner: Nicholas Cammarano Jr.

Career record: 6 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 1 third

Career earnings: $75,430

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 88

Pedigree: Independence Hall – Dani Mo, by Union Rags

Color: Bay

Running style: Press the pace

Analysis: Freedom’s Echo projects to carry the longest post-time odds in the Pennsylvania Derby as his best races to date are simply a cut below those of every other contender in the field. He enters off of a third-place effort in the local prep for the Pennsylvania Derby, the 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones Stakes in mid-August, when he finished 10 lengths behind winner Micanopy and 8 ½ lengths behind runner-up Ponder and Dream. Those two runners are entered in the Pennsylvania Derby and figure to be double-digit longshots, which gives an indication as to how remote this colt’s win chances are. Jockey Paco Lopez, who rode Freedom’s Echo to a win in a one-mile Parx allowance race in July and then in the Smarty Jones Stakes, takes the mount on Micanopy Saturday.

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9. Sassmaster

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Mark Breen

Career record: 3 starts – 2 wins – 0 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $140,496

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 99

Pedigree: Curlin – Sass and Class, by Harlan’s Holiday

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker

Analysis: This lightly raced Curlin colt joins Zihnal as a mid-priced upset candidate in the Pennsylvania Derby as he comes into the race off of two consecutive wins in route races and with plenty of untapped potential. Sassmaster only raced once at age 2 in 2025, and did not return to the track until late June of this year in a 1 1/16-mile maiden race at Churchill Downs held on a sloppy track. He won that race by a diminishing half-length in a solid comeback effort over Preside, another late-blooming 3-year-old who subsequently won twice during Saratoga’s summer meet. Then, Sassmaster was entered in a 1 1/8-mile allowance race at Saratoga Aug. 1, and showed encouraging improvement in his second start of 2026, grinding to a one-length win. His speed figures are on the rise and, although he faces a tough task moving up to this $1 million stakes race, the Pennsylvania Derby field lacks a true superstar racehorse. After being piloted by Flavien Prat in his two 2026 starts, Sassmaster will get the services of Tyler Gaffalione Saturday as Prat chooses to ride Further Ado.

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10. Micanopy

Jockey: Paco Lopez

Trainer: Michael Simone

Owner: Jane Perry

Career record: 10 starts – 4 wins – 2 seconds – 0 thirds

Career earnings: $204,420

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 96

Pedigree: Uncle Chuck – Golden Horseshoe, by Belong to Me

Color: Bay

Running style: Stalker/closer

Analysis: Micanopy has turned his racing career around since being gelded, claimed by his current connections, and moved from Florida (where he was bred and made his first six starts) to the Mid-Atlantic region. He was claimed for $8,000 in April after winning a 1 1/16-mile dirt race at Tampa Bay Downs and in four subsequent starts he’s won a one-mile dirt allowance race at Delaware Park and, most importantly, the 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones Stakes here at Parx Racing on Aug. 18. He rallied strongly to wear down pacesetter and 1-2 favorite Ponder and Dream in the Smarty Jones, earning a career-best speed figure that, if repeated, would make Micanopy a threat to fill out the trifecta or superfecta in the Pennsylvania Derby. Paco Lopez, a perennial leading jockey at Parx, takes the mount on Micanopy for the first time Saturday and should have him rallying from off the pace. He’ll face Ponder and Dream and Smarty Jones distant third-place finisher Freedom’s Echo again Saturday, along with several more accomplished horses.

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11. Ponder and Dream

Jockey: Mychel Sanchez

Trainer: Butch Reid

Owners: Caravan Stable and LC Racing

Career record: 10 starts – 3 wins – 4 seconds – 2 thirds

Career earnings: $225,850

Top Equibase Speed Figure: 94

Pedigree: Uncle Lino – Spanky, by To Honor and Serve

Color: Chestnut

Running style: Pacesetter

Analysis: This local hero has a remote chance of winning the Pennsylvania Derby, but Ponder and Dream should still have an impact on the outcome as he’s a tried-and-true front-runner based on recent form. The colt trained by Parx mainstay Butch Reid ran at sprint distances through his first six starts with decent but unspectacular results, but since being stretched out to two turns he’s notched two gate-to-wire wins and a good second-place effort, that coming in his most recent start in the Aug. 18 Smarty Jones Stakes on this track. He was the heavy 1-2 favorite in the Smarty Jones and took a clear lead into the stretch only to yield late to the rallying Micanopy, who is drawn to his immediate inside in the Pennsylvania Derby. Ponder and Dream’s far outside post will require his regular jockey Mychel Sanchez to hustle him out of the starting gate in order to ideally clear the field and then move over to save ground. If he can get off to a good start, Ponder and Dream should join Talk to Me Jimmy, who has a much better post-position draw, in setting a solid early pace in the Pennsylvania Derby. It would be a surprise to see him remaining in contention when the stretch running begins.