Instant Replay Looking for Upset in Pegasus
Instant Replay goes back to the dirt in his first trip to the Jersey Shore as he looks to pull off an upset in his stakes debut in Sunday’s Grade 3 $150,000 Pegasus Stakes going a mile and a sixteenth at Monmouth Park.
“He’s loved the track since shipping in from Keeneland,” said Calamity Compton, assistant to trainer Wayne Catalano. “He is training good and is set to run a big race.”
Instant Replay, owned by Gary and Mary West, has worked four times since coming to Oceanport. The latest came on June 6 going five furlongs over a fast main track in 1:01. That work was the seventh fastest of 31 horses who went five furlongs on that day.
The 3-year-old colt by Lemon Drop Kid out of the Cherokee Run mare Run Kate Run tried the turf last time out at Keeneland, but was never a threat as he finished fifth.
Instant Replay’s best race came back in January at Oaklawn Park in a $75,000 allowance/optional claimer where he went from next to last along the backstretch after a bad start to going five wide into the far turn and closed hard to win by a length.
“He likes to come from off the pace,” said Compton. “There seems to be good speed in the race, so the plan would be to sit back and gear up for one good run.”
The likely pace of the race will come from Eddie Plesa Jr.’s colt Mr. Jordan, who has won two stakes races in wire-to-wire fashion, the Tarpon at Gulfstream Park in April and the Smooth Air at Gulfstream Park West in November.
Todd Pletcher also sends out a pair for the Pegasus with Chipit leading the charge as he looks to remain undefeated.
Daniel Centeno is aboard Instant Replay for the first time on Sunday. The Pegasus will be race 11 of Sunday’s 12-race card. Gates open 11:30 a.m., first post at 12:50 p.m.
MONMOUTH REGULAR GEORGE CROSS TRIES STAKES COMPANY IN DAN HORN
George Cross looks to get back to the winners circle after four straight second place finishes at Monmouth Park in Sunday’s Dan Horn Handicap for New Jersey Breds set for a mile on the turf.
“He’s a model of consistency,” said Greg Sacco, who conditions the horse for Golden Goose Enterprise LLC and Andy Kligman. “He runs tough every time out. He fought gamely last time and just missed at the wire.”
In his last race, George Cross was up with the early pace and battled gamely down the stretch, just finishing second by a head in the $20,000 claiming event on June 5.
That marked the fourth straight second place finish on the Monmouth turf for George Cross. He sports a 1-4-0 record in his six career starts over the Oceanport grass.
The 5-year-old gelding by Grand Reward out of the Honour and Glory mare Act of Glory hasn’t worked since May 26 where he went four furlongs over the fast Monmouth main track in :53 2/5.
“I think we will be sitting about third or fourth going into the first turn,” said Sacco. “He runs his best coming from just off the pace. I like our post position. I’ll let Joe (jockey Bravo) take the horse into a spot where he has the best chance to win.”
George Cross will have to get by John J. Reilly winner Saucy Don as well as two horses on two race win streaks in Oak Bluffs and ShesfromBoston.
George Cross will break from post 1 in the field of 14 for the Dan Horn. The Dan Horn is race 10 on the card and is one of two stakes races on Sunday’s card, capped off by the Grade 3 Pegasus Stakes for three-year olds. Gates open at 11:30 a.m., first post 12:50 p.m.
Source: Monmouth Park