Preparation for “Marathon” Pennsylvania Derby Day * The Racing Biz

For Jessica Paquette, Pennsylvania Derby Day on Parx Racing is not just Saturday – it’s a marathon.

“Well, they are 15 races after 11 the day before,” she said. “Everyone knows that I have marathons, and I am really grateful in a week like this that I love a marathon distance, because this is only one foot after the other, and it is great to be part of such a big few days.”

The 15-race Extravaganza on Saturday starts at 11:05 am, and the final is planned for 6.30 pm, one challenge, when your job talks about 26 races in two days, the voice keeps together.

“I’m worried about that,” she admitted. “Only 15 races throughout the day, big fields, great excitement, and you want to save the best for the big ones, right? So halfway through the day I will exchange my usual coffee for some tea and honey.”

The grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion are the highlights of the map, and Paquette says that the energy is always special. The derby has drawn a field of talented runners who are looking for a characteristic victory; The Cotillion, on the other hand, has the winners but one after all the races with two turn 1 that have been disputed so far for 3-year-old mares.

“It is always very nice and really festive. It is so nice on this Pennsylvania Derby weeks to see all the media and the big riders and women and kind of everyone comes to Parx and watch us for such great reasons a few days a year,” Paquette said. “And we like to welcome everyone here in our corner of the universe. And I hope we set up a great show.”

Paquette plays a double role as both a announcer and analyst for most days. That analyst task requires that she does more disabilities than perhaps she would ideally do as a announcer.

“I have to do the races even more disabilities than I would like as the announcer, because if you call the races, you don’t want to be stuck in this preceded idea of ​​how the race goes,” she explained.

But on Saturday she will get some help, so she can concentrate on the calls. That does not mean that she ignores the ‘cover’. In fact, she goes into the day with some solid ideas, especially in the Cotillion.

“This is actually my strongest opinion, not from the weekend, but probably all year in Parx so far,” said Paquette. “I am completely busy with it on Ourdaydreaminggirl, the local mandriffen.”

The trainee of Lou Linder, 20-1 on the morning line, ran a last second in the Cathryn Sophia on the strip on August 19. That has been something of a theme for her, but she gets more ground to mount her comeback in the Cotillion-de 1 1/16-Mile distance is the reinforcement that she is gone and the pace is expected.

“She had such a nightmare trip in the Catherine Sophia. I thought she galloped great,” said the announcer. “She is 20-1 on the morning line for a reason, but I think she will prove that she can hold her own with the big girls. And trainer Lou Linder is not one of those guys who throw something on the wall and hopes that you get a piece of it in these big races. The idea was to always get her here.”

The Pennsylvania Derby does not have a shortage of intrigues in the meantime. Although there are no degrees 1 winners in the field, runners such as Baeza, Gosger and Goal Oriented have held their own against the heavyweights such as sovereignty and journalism.

“This is such an interesting race. These are some horses who, their shape, are aware, and they can be ready to have a big second half of the year such as Gosger and Baeza, who certainly danced all the dances,” said Paquette. “I love Gosger in this place. I just think he is so honest. I think he is a bit against it from a tempoper perspective.

Could there be an upset? Say it this way: if Paquette’s handicapping is Saturday, Lou Linder will be the happiest man in the city.

“This is another race where I go a little room and big with a longshot,” she said. “I don’t know that luckily delusions is good enough to beat Baeza, to beat Gosger, but I think he gets the pace setup. I don’t know he is good enough to defeat these guys, but I think he is the one who blows your superfecta or your trifecta if you don’t use it.”

Whether or not he can be seen, of course. Anyway, Paquette will have to make herself pace through 15 races and strive to deliver her best if the spotlight is the brightest. For Paquette, the scale of the day is part of the profession.

“I love big days. I know some announcers don’t like it – they find them a bit overwhelming,” she said. “I love the chaos, and it gives me, you know, I don’t have time to check the internet. What is better. The less I spend time on the internet, the better.”

REMARK: To hear the full interview with Jessica Paquette, listen to Saturday to the Races Radio at 10:00 am