Parx Racing   

Joined TRA in 1985

Corporate Name:

The 2012 racing season at Parx saw the track continue the positive momentum it established the previous year. Two more of the track’s major stakes received upgrades, its top apprentice would be an Eclipse Award finalist for the second consecutive year and, in September, the track hosted the Commonwealth's biggest day in the sports’ history.

September 22, 2012, was a day filled with tremendous anticipation at Parx. For the first time in Thoroughbred history in Pennsylvania, two $1 million races would be contested on the same card. The Grade I Cotillion Stakes, the first running of the race with Grade I status and the Grade II Pennsylvania Derby were put together on the same program for the first time in their storied histories. The day drew an enormous crowd, generated record setting handle and also was televised live locally, for the second consecutive year. The day did not disappoint.

The Grade I Cotillion matched the hottest 3-year-old filly in the land, multiple Grade I winner Questing, against the 2-year-old filly champion from 2011, undefeated My Miss Aurelia. The two put on a show that will long be remembered. Questing used her speed to dictate the pace with My Miss Aurelia patiently stalking her every step of the way. Approaching the top of the stretch, jockey Corey Nakatani moved My Miss Aurelia to engage her rival and turning for home the two fillies were shoulder-to-shoulder and noses apart. They would continue that way all the way to the finish, Questing trying to cement her bid to become 3-year-old filly champion with a third straight Grade I win and My Miss Aurelia desperately trying to keep her record unblemished. As the two came to the wire, My Miss Aurelia put her nose in front and prevailed in a most thrilling and dramatic finish, hitting the wire to the roar of the breathless crowd.

The Grade II Pennsylvania Derby was billed as a rematch of the Travers Stakes from five weeks earlier that saw a rare dead heat. Alpha and Golden Ticket shared the Travers spoils, the first time that has happened in the modern era and only the second time in its history. The 1874 race produced a dead heat, but back then, the race was run at a mile and 3/4. Both were back to settle the score in the Pennsylvania Derby, but a 19-1 longshot colt named Handsome Mike had other ideas. Taking the lead with a furlong to go, Handsome Mike edged away from the field and stunned the crowd with a two length victory. Racing for J. Paul Reddam, who had won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness back in the spring with I’ll Have Another, Handsome Mike paid $40.40 to win.

For the second straight year, the American Graded Stakes Committee looked favorably on Parx, awarding the track three new Grade III races and a Cotillion upgrade for 2012. The Committee then awarded the track two more Grade III races for the year 2013. The Gallant Bob Stakes, the track’s top sprint race for 3-year-olds, and the Parx Dash, the track’s prep for the highly regarded Grade III Turf Monster Handicap, were both moved to Grade III status. Doing the math, the track will run 13 major stakes in 2013 and eight of those will now be graded.

Jockey Angel Arroyo won the honors as the track’s top jockey, ending the record setting four-year run of Kendrick Carmouche. While Carmouche readily surrendered his title, riding out of town for a good bit of the summer, nothing can be taken away from the year Arroyo produced. He truly came into his own during 2012, riding brilliantly all season long and topping the jockey standings with a career best 160 wins.

The track was once again represented at the Eclipse Awards. In 2011, two of the three Eclipse finalists for the nation’s top apprentice came from Parx, Rosario Montanez and Kyle Frey, with Frey being brought to the podium to accept the coveted statue. In 2012, it was Angel Suarez who would become an Eclipse finalist having led all apprentice jockeys in earnings. Unfortunately Angel did not win the award, but his accomplishments were recognized and the legacy of top young riders developing at Parx continues.

The top trainer in 2012 was Phil Aristone. His 99 wins gave him his second trainer’s title in three years, making him just the third trainer in the last 17 years to win multiple titles here at Parx.

Officers: Robert W. Green, Chairman; Anthony Ricci, Chief Executive Officer; Joseph Wilson, Chief Operating Officer
Chief Financial Officer: Anthony Ricci
Director of Racing: Sal Sinatra
Vice President of Food and Beverage: Michael Jaffe
Director of Facilities: David Zeigler
Director of Phonebet and Player Services: Kimberly Smith
Director of Simulcasting: Merce Duffy
Director of Public Relations and Announcer: Keith Jones
Track Photographer: Equiphoto
Location: Located between I-95 and Rte. 1, Exit 28 off the Pennsylvania Turnpike
Nearest City: Philadelphia, Metropolitan Population 4.7 million
Nearest Airports: Philadelphia International, 22 miles; Northeast (private) 3 miles
Track Data: Main track: 1 mile, sand, clay and loam, with 7-furlong and 1¼-mile chutes; Length of stretch to first turn is 313 ft. Width of home stretch and backstretch is 80 ft. Turf Course: ⁷/8-mile oval with 1¹/8-mile chute; 1,400 stalls; 417 acres of property
Seating Accommodations: 2,500 seats; Turfside Terrace Restaurant, Turfside Terrace Bar, Finish Line Deli, Finish Line Bar
Price of Admission: Complimentary admission every day; children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult