Island Town much the best in Smarty Jones

Island Town, reunited with jockey Brian Hernandez Jr. for the first time since scoring his maiden victory last October at Churchill Downs, stamped himself a contender for the $1 million Pennsylvania Derby with a dominant win in Saturday’s Grade 3, $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx Racing.

It was the second Grade 3 win this season for Island Town ($12.60), who captured the Matt Winn at Churchill in mid-June. He subsequently finished fifth over a sloppy track in last month’s Grade 2 Indiana Derby.

The Smarty Jones, contested at a mile and 70 yards, is the local prep for the 1 1/8-mile, Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby on Sept. 19.

Hernandez kept Island Town in second, pressuring pacesetter Souper Colossal, the 3-2 second choice, through six furlongs in 1:12.93. Island Town took the lead nearing the quarter pole, was a half-length in front with a furlong remaining, and widened his advantage while finishing 6 3/4 lengths in front while completing the distance in 1:44.10.

Souper Colossal, runner-up in the West Virginia Derby last time out, was second best, 3 3/4 lengths in front of 48-1 outsider Battle Midway.

The disappointment in the race was Grade 3 winner Divining Rod, who was a close up third at the eighth pole, but drifted and faded, losing a photo for fourth by a nose to Thirtysilverpieces.

Island Town, a son of Hard Spun trained by Ian Wilkes for the partnership of Six Column Stables, Randall Bloch, John Seiler, and David Hall, has now won 4 of 8 starts and $328,223.

* Freestyler ($7.40) rallied to beat North Slope by a half-length for his fifth win in his last six starts in a $100,000 allowance race. Ridden by Elvis Trujillo for trainer Bruce Alexander, Freestyler ran a mile and 70 yards in 1:44.43.