Jockey Elliot Wins Smarty Jones Stakes

Category : News - Thu 05/09/2013 - 13:04 EDT

It was nine years ago that Stewart Elliot rode to instant fame as the jockey aboard Smarty Jones, the little thoroughbred that captured the imagination of racing fans by coming oh-so-close to a Triple Crown, winning the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes before finishing third in the Belmont. On Monday, Elliot was back in the spotlight at Parx Racing, when he rode Edge of Reality to victory in the Grade III $350,000 Smarty Jones Stakes, one of two big stakes wins for Elliot on the day.

Edge of Reality wire-to-wire in the mud

A Pennsylvania-bred by Lawyer Ron, Edge of Reality went off as the 5-2 co-favorite in the Smarty Jones, along with Elkstone Group stable mate Snake Pit. Breaking quickly from the second post on a track rated as muddy, the long-striding three year old established position on the rail and was able to emerge on the lead when his challengers fanned a bit wide coming out of the turn. Challenged in mid-stretch by long-shot Speak Logistics, Edge of Reality came out slightly just past the eighth pole, and then dug in gamely to win by a half-length.

Long-shot Stormofthecentury cruises on turf

While Edge of Reality was expected to contend, it was a different story for Elliot earlier in the day in the Grade III $350,000 Turf Monster Handicap, where he was aboard 25-1 Stormofthecentury. Although the Florida gelding had won two straight previous, those were in allowance and optional claiming events, and the Turf Monster was his first lifetime try in the higher ranks. With all attention focused on 2-1 favorite and defending race champ Ben’s Cat, Elliot put Stormofthecentury in a good stalking spot on the rail throughout the race, before coming out in mid-stretch to run down pacesetter Tightend Touchdown.

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