Instant Replay Emerges as Derby Threat for Cox Barn; Montalcino to Face Legalize and Vitement in Saturday’s Feature

By Kevin Kilroy —-

Instant Replay Emerges as Derby Threat for Cox Barn

Montalcino to Face Legalize and Vitement in Saturday’s Feature at Fair Grounds

New Orleans, La (Feb. 20, 2025) – A new Kentucky Derby threat emerged out of the feature 1 1/16 miles first-level allowance race on Monday, Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, as Gary and Mary West’s homebred Instant Replay produced an eye-catching performance to win going away for trainer Brad Cox.

Kicking off his sophomore campaign, Instant Replay lined up in the gates against a salty field of 3-year-olds that included Furio, Handsome Pants, Joejoe Go, and Can’t Deny It. On a fast main track that had been favoring forward runs, the Maximum Security colt came from last to blow past the loose leader Furio at the furlong pole and draw away with little urging from jockey Florent Geroux.

Winning by 5 lengths and stopping the clock in 1:43.12, Instant Replay earned a 93 Brisnet Speed figure.

“He came out of the race in great shape,” Cox said. “We’re looking at the Louisiana Derby, Arkansas Derby. It probably makes sense to point at the Louisiana Derby with the performance that he put over this racetrack. I really liked how he looked physically after the race.”

On “Louisiana Derby Preview Day,” Cox saddled his fourth Rachel Alexandra (G2) winner in Godolphin’s Good Cheer. A perfect 5-for-5 in her career, Good Cheer is now a multiple graded stakes winner along with her victory in the Golden Rod (G2). Cox reported she came out of the race great and the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) on March 22 is a possibility for her next start.

Good Cheer currently leads all fillies on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard with 45 points.

Cox unveiled another promising 3-year-old filly on Saturday in Velvet Vortex. Owned by e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, the daughter of Complexity earned a 95 Brisnet Speed figure for her winning effort.

“I’m not sure about her next start, but I do think she’ll stretch,” Cox said. “I just don’t know if it will be her next run.”

Velvet Vortex is one of 117 3-year-old fillies nominated to the 151st running of the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI).

Though the local encore for last year’s Louisiana Derby champion Catching Freedom resulted in a disappointing 7th in the Mineshaft (G3) last Saturday, Cox reported that the 4-year-old came back from the race in great shape. No decision has been made about his next start.

Montalcino to Face Legalize and Vitement in Saturday’s Feature at Fair Grounds

Twin Brook Stables, Runnels Racing and Henley Farms’ Montalcino leads a field of six older males in Saturday’s feature race at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. The second-level allowance will pit the extremely talented yet lightly raced Cherie DeVaux trainee against two interesting comebackers in stablemate Legalize and the Eddie Kenneally-trained Vitement, who has not raced since being involved in a tragic trailer accident last March.

Going 6 furlongs across the main track, Saturday’s feature is slated as race 5 on the 9-race program.

Montalcino backed up his debut win at Saratoga with a 6-length allowance victory at Keeneland. In his only other start, the 4-year-old by Take Charge Indy ran too good to lose in the local Thanksgiving Classic, beaten a head by Miles Ahead and earning a 101 Brisnet Speed figure. Tabbed at 3-5 in the morning line with Jose Ortiz named to ride, Montalcino is one of and three entrants who is exiting a stakes effort, along with his stablemate Legalize. The 2023 Sugar Bowl champion has not raced since the Swale, just over a year ago.

The race will also mark the return of Vitement, one of the horses injured last March in a trailer accident on Bluegrass Parkway. Owned by Showdown Kings and trained by Eddie Kenneally, Vitement won a local turf sprint allowance before running third in the Ozark at Oaklawn Park last February.

Rounding out the field is Rigney Racing’s Ludwig, Dawn and Scott Robin’s Scat Free, and SOK Racing’s Deer District.

First post on Saturday is 12:45 p.m. CT.

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About Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, La, Fair Grounds, which is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN), also operates a slot-machine gaming facility and 15 off-track betting parlors throughout Southeast Louisiana. The 153rd Thoroughbred Racing Season–highlighted by the 112th running of the Louisiana Derby–will run from Nov. 22, 2024 through March 23, 2025. More information is available online at www.fgno.com.