The Pennsylvania Derby is one of the leading late season Grade 1 races for three year olds in the United States. The 2026 edition is scheduled for Saturday, September 19 at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.
2026 Pennsylvania Derby
Parx Racing has confirmed a $1 million purse and a distance of one and one eighth miles on dirt. The race is part of a major Saturday program that also includes the Grade 1 Cotillion Stakes, Grade 2 Gallant Bob Stakes and several other stakes.
OTB Bet is not treating the runner list currently displayed on the Parx event page as the confirmed 2026 field because those names correspond to the prior edition. This guide will add the current field, post positions and morning line only after they can be verified against current official entries.
Why the Pennsylvania Derby matters
The Pennsylvania Derby arrives after the Triple Crown and the major summer races, giving leading three year olds another Grade 1 opportunity before the championship season reaches its conclusion. It often brings together horses with different campaign paths, including runners coming from the Travers Stakes, the Haskell Stakes and other major dirt races.
The race also provides a useful late season comparison point for horses moving toward older company or future championship targets. OTB Bet will update this hub with the official result and any material race day changes after they are confirmed.
Parx Racing and the race distance
Parx Racing describes its main dirt track as a one mile oval. The Pennsylvania Derby is contested at one and one eighth miles, a distance that demands tactical speed while still placing a premium on stamina and position through both turns.
The official event page lists the Pennsylvania Derby as Race 14 on the September 19 card. Gates are scheduled to open at 10:00 a.m. and Parx lists first live post at 10:35 a.m.
What to watch next
The next important checkpoint is the release of a clearly current official field. Until then, contender lists and prices should be treated as provisional rather than race day facts.
Any confirmed entries, scratches, rider changes or odds will be added only after they are verified from current official information.
Related OTB Bet coverage
Readers following the broader dirt championship picture can continue to the Jockey Club Gold Cup guide and the Breeders’ Cup Classic guide. The companion Cotillion Stakes guide covers the Grade 1 race for three year old fillies on the same Parx card.
Sources
Race date, purse, distance and event details are based on the official Parx Racing Pennsylvania Derby and Cotillion Day page and the Parx Racing stakes schedule. OTB Bet is withholding the current field until a clearly current official entry source is available.