As the 3-year-olds line up to duke it out for next season's older- horse honors, Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) proved he's rounding back into form at just the right time when taking GII Harlan's Holiday S., the local prep for next year's GI Pegasus World Cup.
A consistent presence on the Triple Crown trail earlier this year, Skippylongstocking was always right there in the year's biggest races–third to Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in both the GII Wood Memorial S. and the GI Belmont S. and fifth behind Early Voting (Gun Runner) in the GI Preakness S. A career-best 102 Beyer Speed Figure saw him take the win in the GIII West Virginia Derby Aug. 6 before he tossed in a clunker in his most recent start, checking in 15 1/2 lengths behind Taiba (Gun Runner) in the GI Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 24.
Racing amongst familiar rivals in Simplification (Not This Time) and fellow Triple Crown contender Pioneer of Medina (Pioneerof the Nile), Skippylongstocking came in just the 3-1 third choice as heralded stablemate and Chilean bred O'Connor (Chi) (Boboman) took the favorite honors. Pace-setting duty went to Pioneer of Medina who was happy to lead the field through fractions of :23.75 and :47.14 before losing the front to Skippylongstocking, who was never further back than second while racing in the clear on the outside. Simplification looked to go by Pioneer of Medina for the placing as Skippylongstocking was home free, but was denied and had to settle for third as O'Connor faded to fourth.
“It was a game effort by Skippy,” said winning trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., also the trainer of O'Connor. “He's a horse that tries and he runs hard. O'Connor disappointed–he's better than that. He's much, much better than that. Seeing how the race unfolded and the speed kept going around, maybe that was it, but I can't really buy that. He made up ground and hit a flat spot. Hopefully, he comes out well, and we'd like to give him a chance in the [GI] Pegasus also.”
Pedigree Notes:
The third winner from as many to race for his dam, Skippylongstocking is the leading money earner for his sire. Twinkling produced a yearling filly by Take Charge Indy and a weanling filly by Maclean's music before visiting GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic for 2023.
Saturday, Gulfstream
HARLAN'S HOLIDAY S.-GIII, $150,000, Gulfstream, 12-31, 3yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:42.76, ft.
1–SKIPPYLONGSTOCKING, 123, c, 3, by Exaggerator
1st Dam: Twinkling, by War Chant
2nd Dam: Unhurried, by Out of Place
3rd Dam: Laughing Erin, by Irish Castle
($15,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $37,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Daniel
Alonso; B-Brushy Hill, LLC (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.; J-Irad
Ortiz, Jr. $90,210. Lifetime Record: GISP, 14-4-1-3, $777,810.
*1/2 to Olivia Twist (Mshawish), SW, $100,149; Moonlite
Strike (Liam's Map), SW & GSP, $172,735. Werk Nick Rating:
A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for
the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Pioneer of Medina, 118, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Lights of
Medina, by Eskendereya. ($485,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O-Sumaya U.S. Stable; B-International Equities Holding, Inc.
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $29,100.
3–Simplification, 120, c, 3, Not This Time–Simply Confection,
by Candy Ride (Arg). ($50,000 RNA Wlg '19 KEENOV). O-Tami
Bobo; B-France & Irwin J. Weiner (FL); T-Antonio Sano.
$14,550.
Margins: 2, NK, 2. Odds: 3.20, 12.20, 2.40.
Also Ran: O'Connor (Chi), South Bend, Strike Hard, Cooke Creek, Clapton.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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