Seven set for Pennsylvania Derby

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Bensalem, PA (Sports Network) - A small, but solid field of seven three-year- olds has been entered for Saturday's 31st running of the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Racing, formerly known as Philadelphia Park.

Eclipse Award winning trainer Todd Pletcher will saddle Exhi in an attempt to win his second Pennsylvania Derby. Pletcher took the 2002 edition with race favorite Harlan's Holiday.

Exhi will start from the inside post in the 1 1/8-mile race with Javier Castellano riding. The colt comes into Saturday's event with four wins and two seconds in six starts this year for $570,364.

Owned by the Wertheimer Brothers, Exhi won the Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park, the Lexington at Keeneland and also found success at Woodbine Race Course in Toronto.

Shipping north to Canada, Exhi won the Marine and Victoria Park Stakes. Last month in the West Virginia Derby he was second to Concord Point by one length.

Preakness Stakes runner-up First Dude is still looking for his first stakes victory. The colt will be ridden by Robby Albarado from post six. Albarado has been the regular jockey for Exhi.

Owned by Donald Dizney and trained by Dale Romans, First Dude has been in the money in every race since finishing fifth in the Florida Derby. He has been third this year in the Blue Grass, Belmont, Haskell and most recently the Travers.

First Dude has earned $646,640 in 2010 in eight starts with one win, two seconds and four thirds.

Here is the complete field for the Pennsylvania Derby in post position order: Exhi, Javier Castellano; Severe Weather, Rodrigo Madrigal, Jr; Afleet Again, Cornelio Velasquez; A Little Warm, John Velazquez; Morning Line, John Velazquez; First Dude, Robby Albarado and Friend Or Foe, Alex Solis.

The Pennsylvania Derby has a Saturday post-time of 6:10 p.m. (et).