Edge of Reality Captures Smarty Jones Stakes

Edge of Reality, a Pennsylvania homebred owned by The Elkstone Group, appropriately won the $350,000 Smarty Jones Stakes (gr. III)—named for the Pennsylvania-bred who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes (both gr. I)—at Parx Racing Sept. 2 (VIDEO).

By Lawyer Ron out of the Touch Gold mare Our Nancy Lee, Edge of Reality wired the field under Stewart Elliot, who was the regular rider of Smarty Jones. The Anthony Dutrow-trained colt won for the fourth time in seven starts and captured his first stakes victory in the 3-year-old stakes at one mile and 70 yards.

The winner set fractions of :23.80 for the opening quarter-mile, :47.81 for the half-mile, and 1:12.32 while bounding along on an uncontested lead. Edge of Reality maintained the advantage through one mile in 1:38, and completed the distance in 1:42.20 on a muddy, sealed surface.

Speak Logistics, never far back, rallied to finish a neck behind the winner. Uncaptured was another 4 1/4 lengths back in third.

Edge of Reality, coupled in the wagering with seventh-place finisher Snake Pit, was dispatched as the 5-2 favorite. He was coming off a third-place finish in the Curlin Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in his stakes debut July 26. The dark bay or brown colt ran his earnings to $354,555.

Winning for the fourth time in five tries at Parx, Edge of Reality paid $7.80 and capped a $108.40 exacta over 10-1 Speak Logistics. The trifecta with Uncaptured returned $484.60.

The Smarty Jones is the local prep for the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II), with the winner earning a free nomination, entry, and starting fee to the Sept. 21 Parx event.

Battier finished fourth, followed by Micromanage, Betweenhereandcool, Snake Pit, Norumbega, English Manor, and Bellarmine.