Instant Replay scoring in the Bathhouse Row Stakes. (Coady Media)
Compiled by Robert Yates
Instant Replay is looking for just that Tuesday at Parx, when he tackles six scheduled rivals in the $200,000 Smarty Jones Stakes for 3-year-olds.
The 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones – Parx’s version – is a major local prep for the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (G1) Sept. 20.
Instant Replay ran twice last season at Oaklawn, finishing fourth behind future Arkansas Derby winner Sandman in a Dec. 13 allowance race and winning the 1 1/8-miles $200,000 Bathhouse Row Stakes for 3-year-olds April 19. In his next start, Instant Replay won the $300,000 Texas Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles May 26 at Lone Star Park.
Bidding for his third consecutive victory, Instant Replay finished a troubled fifth in the $300,000 G3-Indiana Derby July 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. After stumbling at the start, Instant Replay rallied late and was beaten three lengths by Tip Top Thomas, the 2-1 program favorite for the Smarty Jones.
Instant Replay (5-2) drew the rail and will carry equal top weight of 124 pounds, including jockey Jose Ortiz.
Brad Cox trains Instant Replay, a son of champion Maximum Security, for Wathnan Racing. Oaklawn-raced Hypnus (9-2) is also entered for trainer Kenny McPeek. McPeek won last year’s Smarty Jones with Oaklawn maiden special weight graduate Gould’s Gold.
Cox was Oaklawn’s co-sixth-leading trainer last season and has won its Smarty Jones Stakes a record three times. Oaklawn’s four-race series of Kentucky Derby qualifying races begins with the Smarty Jones. Cox has a record-tying two victories in Parx’s Smarty Jones.
In other stakes races Tuesday at Parx, unbeaten McPeek-trained Oaklawn allowance winner Decadent (6-1) is entered in the $200,000 Cathryn Sophia Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 mile and 70 yards and Oaklawn-raced Bendoog is the 2-1 program favorite for the $75,000 Mayor’s Mile Stakes for older horses.
The Cathryn Sophia is a major local prep for the $1 million G1-Cotillion Stakes Sept. 20. McPeek was Oaklawn’s third-leading trainer last season.
Finish Lines … … ……. …………
Stall applications for Oaklawn’s 2025-2026 meeting are due Sept. 18. The 64-day meeting is scheduled to run Dec. 12-May 2. …
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