2025.09.04 Oaklawn Racing Updates

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Thursday, September 4, 2025

An Oaklawn stakes winner captured the inaugural Super Derby in 1980. Could there be a replay of Temperence Hill 45 years later?

Wathnan Racing’s Instant Replay is the 6-5 program favorite for the $250,000 Super Derby for 3-year-olds Saturday at Louisiana Downs.

Probable post time for the 1 1/8-mile Super Derby, the seventh of eight races, is 6:36 p.m. CDT.

Trained by Brad Cox, Instant Replay is one for one at nine furlongs, that victory coming in the $200,000 Bathhouse Row Stakes for 3-year-olds April 19 at Oaklawn. Instant Replay made one other start last season at Oaklawn, finishing fourth behind future Arkansas Derby winner Sandman in a one-mile Dec. 13 allowance race. Instant Replay followed up the Bathhouse Row with a victory in the $300,000 Texas Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles May 26 at Lone Star Park.

Instant Replay has raced just once since the Texas Derby, finishing a troubled fifth in the 1 1/16-mile $300,000 G3-Indiana Derby July 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. After stumbling at the start, Instant Replay rallied late and was beaten three lengths by Tip Top Thomas, who returned to win the $200,000 Smarty Jones Stakes Aug. 19 at Parx. Instant Replay was scratched from the 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones.

Instant Replay is scheduled to break from post 3 in the Super Derby, which drew a field of seven. All starters carry 124 pounds. Tim Thornton is named to ride Instant Replay, a son of champion Maximum Security who originally raced for his breeders, Gary and Mary West.

The only other Oaklawn-raced Super Derby entrant is Fountain Lake (6-1) for trainer John Ortiz and owner John Ed Anthony’s Shortleaf Stable. Fountain Lake ran in three maiden races last season at Oaklawn and exits a fifth-place finish in the $135,000 Curlin Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles July 24 at Saratoga.

Anthony, the winningest owner in Oaklawn history, also campaigned Temperence Hill, under the Loblolly Stable banner.

Temperence Hill was the country’s Champion 3-Year-Old Male of 1980 after winning eight of 17 starts, including Oaklawn’s Rebel and G2-Arkansas Derby, G1-Belmont Stakes, G1-Travers Stakes, G1-Jockey Club Gold Cup and Super Derby.

Anthony also bred 2025 Super Derby entrant Perry County.

Finish Lines

Stall applications for Oaklawn’s 2025-2026 season are due Sept. 18. The 64-day meeting is scheduled to run Dec. 12-May 2. … Oaklawn-raced Generous Lover is entered in the $75,000 Michael G. Mackey Memorial Angenora Stakes for Ohio-bred fillies and mares, 3 and up, at six furlongs Thursday at Thistledown. … Oaklawn stakes winners Wild Bout Hilary and Corningstone are entered in the $100,000 Twixt Stakes for fillies and mares, 3 and up, at one mile Saturday at Laurel. … Oaklawn-raced Awesome Ruta and Northern Flame are entered in the $100,000 Polynesian Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 1 mile Sunday at Laurel. … Oaklawn all-time leading trainer Steve Asmussen enters Thursday with a record 10,972 career North American victories, according to Equibase, racing’s official data gathering organization. Asmussen has 993 career Oaklawn victories.