Parx roundup: Tip Top Thomas hangs on to win Smarty Jones
Tip Top Thomas parlayed his Grade 3 Indiana Derby score last month into a second consecutive stakes win Tuesday, leading from gate to wire and holding on late in the listed, $200,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx.
The two-turn, 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds was a local prep for the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) on Sept. 20, a 1 1/8-mile race over the same course. In the companion preview for the Cotillion (G1), Dry Powder took a stalking trip to her triumph in the listed, $200,000 Cathryn Sophia for 3-year-old fillies.
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Sent off as the 2-5 favorite in the field of six, Tip Top Thomas set early fractions of 24.12, 46.88, 1:10.29 and 1:35.83. The Volatile colt trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velázquez tired late but still had enough to win by a head over Fact (5-2).
The winning time was 1:42.50 on the fast main track.
Fact, who was a stalking second at every call, came home 9 1/4 lengths clear of third-place Hypnus (5-1). Happily Delusional (30-1), Analog Jones (36-1) and Light Forever (17-1) completed the finish in that order. Instant Replay was scratched.
Tip Top Thomas returned $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10; Fact $2.60 and $2.10; and Hypnus $2.20.
Bought as a yearling for $160,000, Tip Top Thomas is owned by Jim Bakke and Gerry Isbister. He was a debut winner last summer at Saratoga who finished second to Chancer McPatrick in the Champagne (G1). As a 3-year-old he was fourth in a Keeneland allowance sprint before winning a one-turn mile at the Belmont at Big A meet and then the Indiana Derby.
Tip Top Thomas added $117,600 on Tuesday to bring his career earnings to $503,100 from a record of 6: 4-1-0.
Dry Powder dusts field in Cathryn Sophia
After flanking the early leaders on a three-wide trip, Dry Powder (7-1) took the lead in the second turn and drew away to a 4 1/4-length upset in the Cathryn Sophia going a mile and 70 yards.
The result was quite the opposite of her experience last month in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga. That was where Dry Powder hit the gate at the start and never factored in what wound up being a third-place finish, 21 lengths behind the winner Scottish Lassie.
Ridden Tuesday by Luis Sáez for trainer Chad Summers, the $525,000 Gun Runner filly moved forward from post 11 in the field of 13 to press pacesetter Taliesin (7-1) and early stalker Fede (30-1) through opening splits of 23.23 and 46.78 seconds.
Dry Powder moved to the front and clocked three-quarters of a mile at 1:10.73, widened her advantage to two lengths through a mile in 1:36.47 and ran on to a final time of 1:40.59.
Ourdaydreaminggirl (18-1) closed from eighth to place second. Disco Rules (16-1) came in third. Taliesin withered to take fourth. Post-time favorite Decadent (3-1), who came into the race 2-for-2, traveled wide on her way to finishing 10th.
Owned by Gold Square, Dry Powder paid $17.00, $9.00 and $6.40; Ourdaydreaminggirl $16.00 and $10.40; and Disco Rules $9.00.
A debut winner going six furlongs in March at Gulfstream Park, Dry Powder went to Belmont at the Big A to finish second in both an allowance race and the black-type, $125,000 Wilton. Then came her first time going two turns in the CCA Oaks.
Adding $100,800 to her bankroll, Dry Powder has $245,400 in earnings and a record of 5: 2-2-1.