Stakes Double Play for Parx on Saturday

A pair of competitive stakes on the fine card at Parx on Saturday caught my eye, and I will make a play in the attractive two-race sequence. 

Race 8 Wager

• $3 double 1,3,6 with 2,3,6 ($27)

Race 8 – Cathryn Sophia S. 

An especially nice cast of sophomore fillies will go postward in the two-turn affair that is of a graded quality contest. A trio of three-year-old fillies have to be used in the opening leg of the play. 

Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2) heroine #1 Gun Song (3-1) was a close second in her latest venture in the Monmouth Oaks (G3) for conditioner Mark Hennig and is an obvious inclusion in the race. The Gun Runner chestnut is a fine fit at this level and will be prominent from the break with Jose Lezcano in the irons. 

Todd Pletcher’s #3 Courbe (4-1) was a very good and clear third in the Wilton S. in a tough spot at Saratoga in her latest assignment and looks like an improving sort sitting on her first stakes win. This Quality Road gray lacks early speed, but she has a nice turn of foot and is getting good right now. Joe Bravo will be in the irons. 

#6 Impel (5-2) burned a lot of money when third in the Indiana Oaks (G3) most recently, but the Grade 1-placed filly is clearly good enough to take this field down with her best showing. She drilled a bullet five-eighths leading up to this run, and Eric Cancel will ride. 

Race 9 – Smarty Jones S. 

I think that the 1 1/16-mile contest will come down to a trio of horses at the wire. 

#6 Just Step On It (8-1) ran a solid race in the Haskell (G1) when fourth, just two lengths behind Timberlake, a Grade 1 winner who finished third. He has to be given a chance from the outside post with Dexter Haddock in the silks. 

#2 Catalytic (2-1) just missed in a solid late-running effort in the Carry Back S. last time and will be tough with even slight improvement in this one. The Catalina Cruiser colt has been first or second in four of five lifetime tries for Saffie Joseph, and this distance is well within the scope of the colt. 

Ohio Derby (G3) runner-up #3 Gould’s Gold (6-5) was outrun in the deep Jim Dandy (G2) in his latest outing, but his best race will make him a major contender for Kenny McPeek.