Gray Magician back on short rest for Smarty Jones Stakes

The seven-stakes extravaganza Monday at Parx Racing serves as an appetizer for the Bensalem, Pa., track’s season highlight, which comes 19 days later. The Grade 3, $300,000 Smarty Jones on Labor Day will likely produce a runner or two for the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby. The $150,000 Cathryn Sophia is the local prep for the Grade 1 Cotillion.

The Monday card also includes the Grade 3, $300,000 Turf Monster at five furlongs and four $100,000 stakes that comprise the penultimate leg of the MATCH Series. Total purses for the 12-race card are $1.4 million.

But not everyone in the Smarty Jones is looking down the road. For trainer Peter Miller, the Smarty Jones is the goal for Gray Magician, who has quietly put together a nice campaign for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Gary Barber, and Wachtel Stable.

In his last four starts, Gray Magician has finished second in the $2.5 million UAE Derby at Meydan, run in the Kentucky Derby, finished second in the $500,000 Indiana Derby, and won the $100,000 Ellis Park Derby on Aug. 11. He’s banked $681,000 for the year.

“He’s a really neat horse who tries hard,” Miller said. “He came out of the Ellis race well, and I don’t have a lot of problems running him back in three weeks.

“Never say never, but I’m not really thinking about the Pennsylvania Derby for him right now. Going back to back on three weeks’ rest with him twice might be a little much.”

Gray Magician, who has been part of Miller’s Kentucky string this summer, should go favored in the 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones. He could fall into a tracking position behind Easy Goer winner Majid, the likely second choice for Rudy Rodriguez, and the local runners Bethlehem Road, War Treaty, and Spun to Run.

Miller said he will leave the driving to Corey Lanerie.

“The horse is tactical, and it looks like there’s a couple of speed horses in there,” Miller said. “Corey’s excellent at positioning his horses.”

Majid has been on the lead in all five of his starts this year. He has won four straight for Zayat Stables, topped off by the Easy Goer on Belmont Stakes Day, before faltering in the Grade 3 Dwyer and finishing fifth. Rodriguez kept Majid at Belmont for the summer, where he has worked six times in preparation for the Smarty Jones.

Kendrick Carmouche, a five-time leading rider at Parx before successfully shifting to New York, will be aboard.

The field also includes Cairo Cat, who will be making his second start of the year for Ken McPeek. Cairo Cat, who won the Grade 3 Iroquois at Churchill Downs at 2, finished third in an optional-claiming race behind Spinoff and Lone Sailor on Aug. 9 at Saratoga.

McPeek will equip Cairo Cat with blinkers Monday. David Cohen has the mount.

Not to be overlooked is Parx-based Spun to Run, who is trained by Carlos Guerrero. Spun to Run is coming off a creditable third-place finish to Maximum Security and Mucho Gusto in the Grade 1 Haskell. Paco Lopez will ride.

◗ The last two runnings of the Smarty Jones have been won by Axelrod, who came back to finish second in the Pennsylvania Derby for Michael McCarthy, and Pavel, who in his next start finished third in the Jockey Club Gold Cup for Doug O’Neill.