Photo:

Jason Moran / Eclipse Sportswire

The Grade 1, $1 million Pennsylvania Derby and Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion Stakes, set for Sept. 21 at Parx, lured a strong group of early nominations led by Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Thorpedo Anna, Preakness Stakes winner Seize the Grey, Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes winner Sierra Leone and Grade 1 Alabama Stakes winner Power Squeeze.

Thorpedo Anna, most recently second by a head against males in the Travers Stakes (G1) on Aug. 24 at Saratoga Race Course, headlines the 33 early nominations for the 1 1/16-mile Cotillion Stakes. Trainer Kenny McPeek indicated immediately after the Travers that the daughter of Fast Anna would run in the Cotillion. North America’s leading 3-year-old filly, Thorpedo Anna owns three Grade 1 victories this season in the Kentucky Oaks, Acorn Stakes and Coaching Club American Oaks.

The 1 1/8-mile Pennsylvania Derby attracted 25 nominations led by Seize the Grey, most recently seventh in the Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) on July 27 at Saratoga Race Course. The nominations also include Sierra Leone, most recently third in the Travers, along with the top three finishers from the Smarty Jones Stakes on Aug. 24 at Parx: Gould’s Gold, Just Step On It and Uncle Heavy. Other nominees include recent West Virginia Derby (G3) winner Dragoon Guard, Grade 1 winner and recent Shared Belief Stakes winner Muth and Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Stronghold.

Graded-stakes winners Batten Down, Imagination and Society Man and stakes winners Pandagate, Doc Sullivan, Lonesome Boy, Most Wanted, Regalo, Tuscan Sky and Unmatched Wisdom are among the other Pennsylvania Derby nominees.

The 1-2 finishers from the Alabama – Power Squeeze and Grade 1 winner Candied – join Thorpedo Anna on the list of early nominations for the Cotillion. The first three finishers from the Cathryn Sophia Stakes Aug. 24 at Parx are also nominated: Gun Song, Impel and Wonder Ride. Graded stakes winners Chatalas, Hope Road, Life Talk, Manama Gold, My Mane Squeeze, Mystic Lake, Scalable, Sugar Fish and Tarifa are also nominated to the Cotillion.