Smooth Air, Ready Set tops Pennsylvania Derby field

BENSALEM, Pa. — Ohio Derby winner Smooth Air and West Virginia Derby winner Ready Set top the field for the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby on Monday.

Fourteen colts are scheduled to run the 11⁄8-mile course in the 29th running of the event at Philadelphia Park.

Jockey Manoel Cruz will be aboard Smooth Air, which has four wins in nine lifetime starts, including an 11th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.

Michael Matz named Julien Leparoux to ride Ready Set.

Martin Pedroza will ride Two Step Salsa, the winner of the Affirmed Handicap and the Laz Barrera Memorial at Hollywood Park.

Alan Garcia was to ride Alaazo, but Garcia opted to stay at Saratoga to try to win the jockey title, so trainer Bill Mott will name a substitute before post time.

Peppers Pride scratched

RUIDOSO DOWNS, N.M. — Peppers Pride's bid for a North American-record 17th win in 17 starts has been put on hold after the horse was scratched from the Lincoln Handicap on Sunday.

Trainer Joel Marr scratched Peppers Pride after the Ruidoso Downs track turned sloppy because of rain over the previous day and a half. The thoroughbred mare has never raced on a wet track, the track said in a news release.

"It took four years to get here and I wasn't going to chance it in a two-minute race," Marr said. "I wanted to look out for her safety. After the sixth race there was a big downpour and the sloppy, muddy and wet conditions you can't control."

Peppers Pride is in position to break the mark of 16 straight victories she shares with Triple Crown winner Citation, two-time horse of the year Cigar, Mister Frisky and Hallowed Dreams.

Peppers Pride won her first two career starts at Ruidoso Downs and last year's Lincoln Handicap.

Marr said the horse will be moved to Zia Park in Hobbs, where her next shot at the record could come in early November.

Mani Bhavan wins Spinaway

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Mani Bhavan raced to her third victory in three career starts, beating Jardin by 1¼ lengths Sunday in the $250,000 Spinaway Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Saratoga.

Mani Bhavan, ridden by Alan Garcia and trained by Steve Klesaris, ran seven furlongs in 1:25.23. She earned $150,000 for Puglisi Racing and the TYB Stable.

Mani Bhavan won the Aug. 14 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga by seven lengths and launched her career in July with a 9¼-length victory at Delaware Park.

Silent Valor takes Sapling

OCEANPORT, N.J. — Silent Valor drew off in the stretch to win the $150,000 Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park on Sunday, beating Officer Ipod by 1½ lengths. Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Stewart Elliott, the 2-year-old colt covered the six furlongs over a fast main track in 1:101⁄5.