AMERICA'S ONLY FEMALE HORSE RACE ANNOUNCER TO MAKE WORLD HISTORY AT PARX RACING...
Saturday, September 23, 2023
...DURING THE COTILLION AND PA DERBY - THE BIGGEST DAY OF RACING IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA
Bensalem, PA - America's only female horse racing announcer will break the glass ceiling again this weekend in Pennsylvania by becoming the first woman to ever call a Grade 1 Horse Race ever in the WORLD when she calls the betPARX Pennsylvania Derby & Cotillion Day. Jessica Paquette made international headlines as the first female announcer in the United States when she joined Parx Racing at Parx Casino in November 2022. She is set to break another record on Saturday, September 23rd when she calls the biggest day of racing in the state of Pennsylvania. Her signature Converse sneakers are ready, along with her binoculars, as she is ready to flip the switch and send the horses on their way with, "Now they are all in..off and racing."
"It is a huge honor to be part of Pennsylvania's biggest day of racing and to get to showcase some of the best horses in the country alongside our great horse men and women," said Paquette. "I am excited to get to carve out a small piece of history in a sport I have devoted my life to."
With nearly 20 years of experience in the horse racing industry, Paquette has been a racing analyst at Suffolk Downs, Colonial Downs Racetrack and Sam Houston Race Park and most recently worked as the Director of Communications for the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. Prior to that she was the vice president of marketing at Suffolk Downs in Boston. In addition to her roles in the horse racing industry, Paquette is a fierce competitor in equestrian show jumping, is a passionate advocate for equine safety and welfare, and owns two retired racehorses.
Paquette, 37, a native of New England became the only full time female track announcer in North America when she was hired by Parx Racing in November 2022. This fall Paquette will continue to break the glass ceiling in a completely male dominated profession when she becomes the first female announcer to call a Grade 1 thoroughbred race when she announces the Cotillion Stakes (G1) for fillies and the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on Saturday September 23 at Parx Racing in Bensalem PA.
For Saturday's big day, racing fans will flock to Parx for the $1 million betPARX Pennsylvania Derby (GI) and the $1million Cotillion Stakes (G1) for a premier day of racing. A stakes-laden card featuring some of the top horses, jockeys and trainers from across the country is sure to delight racing fans. Several stakes on the card will serve as a last major prep for the Breeders' Cup World Championships being this year at Santa Anita Park on November 3-4.
The $1 million betPARX Pennsylvania Derby (GI) will feature some of the best three-year-old horses in the country while the $1million Cotillion Stakes (G1) highlights some of the sports elite three-year-old fillies. Eight additional stakes races on both turf and dirt highlight the undercard. In addition to five graded races, there are two new stakes races restricted to 2-year-olds bred and sired in Pennsylvania. Both divisions carry a purse of $200,000.
Event Details
betPARX Pennsylvania Derby & Cotillion Day
Saturday, September 23, 2023
Featured Races:
$1 Million G1 betPARX Pennsylvania Derby
$1 Million G1 Cotillion Stakes
$400,000 G2 Gallant Bob
Gates Open: 10:00am
First Live Post: 11:35am
Festivities will include free family fun, live music from Fish Out of Water Band, Uptown String Band. Plus souvenir merchandise and food & beverage specials.
Gates open at 10:00am. For more information about the day, visit:
https://www.parxracing.com/paderby.php
ABOUT PARX RACING®
Parx Racing®, a legendary thoroughbred racetrack, is owned and operated by Greenwood Racing, Inc. Conveniently located 20 minutes north of center city Philadelphia, I-95 exit 37 or PA Turnpike exit 351(westbound), exit 352 (eastbound) onto Street Road in Bensalem. Greenwood Racing, Inc. began operating the racetrack in 1990 as Philadelphia Park Racetrack and its associated Turf Clubs. In 2010, the racetrack and grandstand was renovated and rebranded as Parx Racing®, adjacent to the Parx Casino® building. Parx Racing® is home the celebrated $1M betPARX® Pennsylvania Derby (G1) and $1M Cotillion Stakes (G1). The famed racetrack hosts live thoroughbred racing 4 days a week along with full card simulcasting 364 days a year. For more information on Parx Racing® visit www.parxracing.com.
ABOUT PARX CASINO®
Parx Casino® is owned and operated by Greenwood Racing Inc. and is the #1 revenue generating casino property in Pennsylvania. Parx Casino® is conveniently located 20 minutes north of center city Philadelphia on Street Road in Bensalem, Bucks County. Parx features over 180,000 square feet of gaming and sports wagering space with 3,000 slot machines, 148 live table games and 48 poker tables in a private room; live thoroughbred horse racing and simulcast action; Xcite Center, a 1,500 seat live entertainment venue; nine restaurants and bars; and complimentary parking for over 5,000 cars. In 2019, Parx Casino® launched sports betting with a $10 million world-class sportsbook and online sports betting. Greenwood Racing Inc. currently conducts online casino gaming and sports wagering operations in New Jersey, Michigan and Ohio as well as in Pennsylvania under the betPARX brand.