Photo:

Ben Breland / Eclipse Sportswire

A new Kentucky Derby threat emerged out of the feature 1 1/16-mile first-level allowance race Monday at Fair Grounds, 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 five lengths and stopping the clock at 1:43.12, Instant Replay earned a 93 Brisnet Speed Rating.

“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.”

Cox saddled his fourth Rachel Alexandra (G2) winner Saturday in Godolphin’s Good Cheer. Now 5-for-5 in her career, Good Cheer is a multiple graded-stakes winner with a 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 (G1) 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 Rating 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 $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks.

Though the local encore for last year’s Louisiana Derby champion Catching Freedom resulted in a disappointing seventh 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.