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It's anybody's bet at Pa. Derby

Correctly handicap any of the gimmick wagers offered on today's Pennsylvania Derby and you could return home with a stuffed wallet.

With a full field and no obvious favorite, the $1 million signature race of the Philadelphia Park season is full of betting angles, with many of the entrants in the field of 14 capable of winning.

Smooth Air is the morning-line favorite with a victory in the Ohio Derby and a runner-up finish to divisional leader Big Brown in the Florida Derby on his resumé.

But the colt has been idle for three months, reportedly because of foot problems, and ships to Philadelphia from his home base at Calder in Miami.

Two Step Salsa should be well-backed by those who prefer front-runners and could control the pace in a race dominated by stretch-running types.

The colt edged subsequent Travers winner Colonel John as the runner-up in the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park for top conditioner Julio Canani.

Ready Set, owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson, forever known as the owners of Barbaro, captured the West Virginia Derby in his last start and is beginning to show the promise trainer Michael Matz always believed that the $800,000 purchase possessed.

Stones River has not beaten high-quality fields but captured his last four starts at Delaware Park in impressive style by a combined 221/2 lengths.

Tiz Now Tiz Then nearly upset the Jim Dandy at Saratoga and has an explosive closing punch.

Power Game is undefeated after just two starts for the famed Phipps Stable and trainer "Shug" McGaughey.

You and I Forever breaks from the extreme outside post, but the son of the great A.P. Indy just missed behind Travers runner-up Mambo in Seattle in his last outing.

The field is completed by Only for Now, Numaany, Anak Nakal, Atoned, and the mutuel field combination of Wishful Tomcat, Alaazo, and Acai.

Jockey Alan Garcia, scheduled to pilot Alaazo, created controversy by opting out of a commitment to ride the colt for the Zayat Stables.

Garcia is the leading jockey at Saratoga and wanted to remain at the upstate New York track to seal the title on today's closing-day program.

On the Pennsylvania Derby undercard, one of the strongest turf sprint fields ever contested at the Bensalem track takes place in the $250,000 Turf Monster Handicap.

Heros Reward must overcome the extreme outside post in the field of 12 as the morning-line favorite.


Contact staff writer Craig Donnelly at 215-854-2839 or cdonnelly@phillynews.com.

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