Skippylongstocking Preps For Pegasus With Win In Harlan’s Holiday

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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Lord Nelson Filly Tops Penultimate Session of Keeneland September

A filly by the late Lord Nelson brought $125,000 from agent Michael Wallace, acting on behalf of St. Elias Stables, to top Friday's 11th of 12 sessions of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Vinnie Viola's operation has purchased a total of 48 head throughout the sale, either alone or in partnership, for gross receipts of $18,815,000 and an average of $391,979.

Consigned by Legacy Bloodstock, agent for breeder Spendthrift Farm, as Hip 3709, Friday's topper is a full sister to 2022 GII Saratoga Special S. third-place finisher and recent runaway Pimlico optional claiming winner Super Chow.

Out of the unraced Warrior's Reward mare Bonita Mia, she is from the family of Grade/Group 1 winners Miss Match (Arg) (Indygo Shiner), Carina Mia (Malibu Moon) and Miss Linda (Arg) (Southern Halo).

Canuck Racing Club paid $70,000 for the session's second highest seller, Curlquest, a colt by Exaggerator out of a daughter of champion Blind Luck (Pollard's Vision). Consigned by Castle Park Farm (Noel Murphy), agent, he is out of I'm the Reason (Bernardini). He was bred in Ontario by Langcrest Farm.

With one day remaining in the Keeneland September Sale, a total of 2,663 yearlings have sold through the ring for $402,977,700, for an average of $151,325 and a median of $80,000. The average price is up 14.56% from $132,091 in 2021, while the median is 23.08% above $65,000 last year.

The gross of this year's sale is a record for a Keeneland auction. The mark officially was passed Thursday.

On Friday, Keeneland recorded sales of $3,037,700 for 175 yearlings, for an average of $17,358 and a median of $15,000. The total is below the corresponding session in 2021 when 243 horses sold for $3,930,000. This year's average price increased 7.33% from $16,173 in 2021, while the median was 25% higher than $12,000 last year.

Friday session's leading consignor was Taylor Made Sales Agency, which sold 20 horses for $413,500. Wallace, agent for St. Elias, was the session's leading buyer.

The 12th and final session of the September Sale begins Saturday at 10 a.m. ET. The auction will be streamed live at Keeneland.com.

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Exaggerator to Louisiana

Exaggerator (Curlin–Dawn Raid, by Vindication) will stand the 2022 breeding season at Elite Thoroughbreds, the Folsom, LA farm announced earlier this week. A winner of the GI Preakness S., GI Haskell Invitational S. and GI Santa Anita Derby in 2016, Exaggerator previously stood at WinStar Farm. With two crops to race thus far, he was represented in 2021 by the earners of $3,353,136 and led all second-crop starters by winners with 82. Exaggerator will stand for $5,000 LFSN.

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Carpe Diem and Exaggerator to Relocate

WinStar stallions Carpe Diem (Giant's Causeway–Rebridled Dreams, by Unbridled's Song) and Exaggerator (Curlin–Dawn Raid, by Vindication) have been sold and will take up stud duty in new locations for 2022, the farm announced Thursday.

Carpe Diem will be syndicated by a group led by Dawn and Jeff Picard's Picard Racing and David Tillson and he will stand the upcoming breeding season at Acadiana Equine at Copper Crowne in Louisiana. Campaigned by WinStar and Stonestreet Stables, the $1.6 million OBSMAR buy woon the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity in 2014 and the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. in 2015. Carpe Diem is the sire of 11 black-type horses in 2021.

“We have a strong relationship with David Tillson and Acadiana Equine,” said Liam O'Rourke, Director of Bloodstock Services for WinStar Farm. “We look forward to continued success with Carpe Diem.”

David Tillson added, “Our goal is to provide Louisiana breeders the best opportunity for future success, and we're excited to stand Carpe Diem, a multiple Grade I winner and proven stallion.”

Exaggerator is returning home after being re-purchased by Texas-based Rocker O Ranch, co-owner of the horse during his racing career. Stud plans are currently being determined. The dark bay won the GI Preakness S., GI Santa Anita Derby and GI Haskell Invitational S. in 2016.

“Exaggerator gave us the greatest thrills of our lifetime,” said Rocker O Ranch's Cole Ortowski. “We are excited to be bringing him back into the family.”

Exaggerator is the leading second-crop sire by winners with 77 and is represented this year by 2-year-old stakes-winning fillies Sea Level and Pacific Coast, as well as stakes winner Gagetown.

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