Steve Asmussen Plans Big Season for Skelly

After emerging in good form from his GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. victory, MGSW Skelly (Practical Joke) will look to climb the class ladder with future targets including the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. and the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, announced trainer Steve Asmussen Sunday morning.

Having posted the meet's best time for six furlongs at 1:08.82 in that Count Fleet effort, beating the prior mark of 1:09.38, which he also set in his 2024 debut, the Oaklawn star will be setting his sights on bigger prizes this summer and autumn.

“I think that the two main targets for the rest of the year are the Vanderbilt at Saratoga and Breeders' Cup,” Asmussen said. “I do know I want to keep him at three-quarters of a mile.”

The Count Fleet was Skelly's first race back in the States since having his seven-race winning streak snapped by Remake (Jpn) (Lani) in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

“Very fortunate to have him,” Asmussen said. “Believe it or not, [Skelly] went to Saudi [Arabia] and came back faster. Speaks volumes about who he is.”

The Vanderbilt runs July 27 at Saratoga and the Breeders' Cup Sprint will go Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

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Fincher Back To ‘Bread & Butter’ After Dubai, Oaklawn Road Beckons

SUNLAND PARK, New Mexico–Todd Fincher cuts an easy path along the apron through the Sunday crowd at Sunland Park, giving nods and an occasional smile as he goes. It's closing day at the track and a homebred owned by Kirk and Judy Robison from his shedrow just won the Island Fashion S.

Sporting his standard duds, including a ball cap, creased jeans and shades, Fincher has his modular phone slung on his belt, ready to be drawn from its holster.

“Busy,” replies the New-Mexico based trainer when asked about how it's all going. “It's just been such a non-stop crazy time, but coming back to Sunland Park, this is my bread and butter.”

Fincher returned only a week ago from his second Middle East junket which capped Senor Buscador's (Mineshaft) successful two-race sojourn to that part of the world. Unless you have resided under an igneous rock, then you know that Joey Peacock's 6-year-old stalwart won the G1 Saudi Cup and then finished third in the G1 Dubai World Cup.

“The experience was great and even though the result in Dubai wasn't what we wanted, everyone was incredibly welcoming,” he said. “Even in a race as big as that one was, I don't get disappointed because at least 75 percent of the time you are going to lose in racing, so getting down like I used to serves no purpose whatsoever.”

Don't misinterpret Fincher's words because he wanted Buscador to win the World Cup. He wants to win them all and badly. Feigning disappointment is his prosaic outlook shining through. You have to have this kind of attitude, which hails from a special place inside and comes from a host of life experiences.

Like a character out of an Ace Reid Cowpoke cartoon, the horseman has a thin build which is a reminder that he used to ride for a living. The mental toughness he developed in the saddle while breaking young horses and as a New Mexico jockey some 30 years ago has served him well, especially in a business like conditioning.

Todd Fincher (left) with Only One America in the Island Fashion S. | Coady Photography

“I'd win three races riding and think I was on top,” he said. “And then that would dry up and I would get really, really down on myself, so you can't do that. It's a humbling sport with so many factors out of your control. You always have to be thankful for wins like Buscador delivered and he is not done yet, we hope.”

Fincher confirmed that Senor Buscador has arrived safely at Peacefield Farm in Temecula, California and will be given several weeks off before a new training cycle could start.

“Just like always, we are going to let him tell us,” he said. “I think the GII Pat O'Brien S. could be possible, we'll see, and then long term, the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.” Two years ago at Del Mar, Buscador finished third in the O'Brien to Laurel River (Into Mischief), who ran away with this year's Dubai World Cup.

While the Saudi Cup champ gets a break, his trainer will be doing nothing of the sort. With Sunland complete, Fincher's stable shifts to SunRay Park up in Farmington, New Mexico, but he loaded up a trailer bound for Hot Springs, Arkansas to start this week.

“We have a couple that I am taking to Oaklawn and I will be there all week,” he said. “I don't like hauling them this far, but it is going to be good to run against competition like this.”

Fincher is entering Perfect Dude (Majesticperfection)–who shifted from Vann Belvoir over to him in February–in Saturday's GIII Count Fleet S. It's a race which will feature Skelly (Practical Joke), who is making his first U.S. start since the gelding ran second in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint in Saudi Arabia.

Making the some 900-mile trip to Oaklawn for the GI Apple Blossom S. is Flying Connection (Nyquist). Last year, the filly won the Island Fashion S. and then netted the Sunland Park Oaks, which earned her a spot in the starting gate for the GI Kentucky Oaks. She ran a game sixth in defeat that Friday.

“Perfect Dude is a fairly new acquisition, but I can tell he has a ton of talent and he is really quick out of the gate,” said Fincher. “I think Flying Connection has developed a real tactical advantage and she has really come far since last year when she just went straight to the front all the time.”

Flying Connection is co-owned by Brad King, Randy Andrews, Chris Coleman, Jim Cone, Suzanne Kirby and Lee Lewis, which is the same group who invested in another Fincher-trained runner, Olivia Twist (Mshawish). Incidentally, King, Andrews, Cone and Lewis are a part of MSW Candy Aisle (Gun Runner), who was ninth in Oaklawn's GII Fantasy S. Mar. 30, and who Fincher will possibly send to the Valley of the Vapors S. Apr. 20.

A half-sister to MGSW/MGISP Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), Olivia Twist already made the trip to Hot Springs to join Candy Aisle and put in a six-panel work over the weekend. According to her trainer, the 4-year-old could be ready for the April 27 running of the Dig A Diamond S., but for now Fincher is taking a wait-and-see approach when it comes to her next start.

Olivia Twist working with Cristian Torres aboard at Oaklawn | courtesy of Robert Yates

“She raced a ton starting as a 2-year-old,” he said. “I really think she needed a good rest and got it during the second half of last year. I really like the way she carries her weight and she's developed over the winter, she has continued to be aggressive in the mornings, so we'll see if that continues to translate to the afternoons.”

Olivia Twist started eight times from when she broke her maiden at Remington Park late in her juvenile year through last summer at Del Mar. The biggest puzzle for Fincher is to figure out what distance she wants.

“That will come,” he said.

In the interim, Todd Fincher has plenty more puzzles to solve as Saudi Arabia and Dubai are now firmly in the rearview mirror. The road to Oaklawn beckons, and that means it is an opportunity to develop some more bread and butter.

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Saudi Crown, Bold Journey On To Dubai, Skelly Back To The States

Trainer Brad Cox confirmed that FMQ Stables' Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming), a brave third in the G1 Saudi Cup after setting bruising fractions up front, has shipped to Dubai and has settled in at Meydan Raceourse. The $45,000 Keeneland January short-yearling turned $240,000 OBS April breezer holds an entry for the G1 Dubai World Cup, where he would face a rematch with the two horses that finished ahead of him last weekend–Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) and Ushba Tesoro (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}). But Cox aid that the tentatively target is the Mar. 30 G2 Godolphin Mile.

“We were very proud of his effort and he came out of the race in good order,” trainer Brad Cox said by phone Monday. “So we packed him up, he landed safely in Dubai, and we are leaning towards the Godolphin Mile.”

The grey colt saw out nine furlongs well enough to take out last year's GI Pennsylvania Derby, and although well-beaten in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, rebounded with a strong victory in the GIII Louisiana S. to punch his ticket to Riyadh. Hard-sent to the lead in the Saudi Cup, Saudi Crown covered the opening 800 meters in :46.01–with no run-up–and held on stubbornly to be right in the finish. But it will be less distance and not more on Mar. 30.

“When you're running against the best horses in the world,” Cox said, “we think that the answer to that question is to run him over a mile.”

Among the horses he could face is defending champion Isolate (Mark Valeski), a meritorious sixth in the Saudi Cup.

 

 

 

As a result of his outstanding third-place effort behind Japan's Remake (Jpn) (Lani) and top American sprinter Skelly (Practical Joke) in Saturday's G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, Pantofel Stable, Adam Wachtel and Gary Barber's Bold Journey (Hard Spun) has been invited to run in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen Mar. 30. The 5-year-old arrived in the Emirates in good order Monday, Wachtel said.

“He came out of the race in good order, little bit scraped up, there was a little collision there at the gate, but nothing at all serious,” Wachtel said of the Bill Mott trainee.

The New York-bred, who was briefly on the Triple Crown trail in 2022, has found his best form over six furlongs, and won three straight in the Big Apple in late fall and early winter, including the GIII Fall Highweight H. Nov. 24 and the Dec. 30 Gravesend S. He settled well back in the run in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint, as Skelly locked horns with the top Saudi-based sprinter Rebellious Stage (Justify), but came with a solid rally nearer the inside to fill third spot, beaten three lengths for all of it.

“We thought if he performed well he might get an invite and that it might make some sense for a couple of reasons: we are already kind of there and we established that he is a serious sprinter,” Wachtel said. “I feel like he's improving and he did us very proud and I think he earned the right to run in a race like [the Golden Shaheen].”

Wachtel is looking forward to the opportunity, even if pre-existing commitments will mean he will be in abstentia.

Bold Journey and Saudi Crown galloping in Riyadh | Horsephotos

“We're pretty excited about it, he seems to be turning into the horse we'd hoped he would,” Wachtel said. “I don't know if he's good enough to do what he just did in Dubai, but we think it's a great move. I hope that at the end of the year, we're in the conversation as one of the best sprinters in the country.  Hopefully he'll take to Dubai as he did to Saudi Arabia and he'll come running down the lane.”

The Wachtel part-owned and Mott-conditioned Long On Value (Value Plus) missed by a zop in the 2017 G1 Al Quoz Sprint, while Gray Magician (Graydar), also campaigned by Wachtel in partnership, completed a U.S.-bred 1-2 behind Plus Que Parfait (Point of Entry) in the 2019 G2 UAE Derby.

Skelly, a game second after making the running last Saturday, is booked on a Chicago-bound flight this coming Thursday and will therefore pass on the Golden Shaheen, trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday.

“I thought he gave it a great effort. We want to get him back in a winning spot and there is a valuable spot at Oaklawn to do just that,” Asmussen said, likely referring to the $500,000 GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. Apr. 13. “We were very proud of his effort, but we thought it was very important to get him back winning and he's won seven in a row at Oaklawn. If he had won, we would probably have gone on, but he didn't, so we'll bring him back home.”

Asmussen indicated that the same two-race sequence in the Middle East in a strong possibility for 2025.

Among those also returning to the states are Saudi Cup fourth National Treasure (Quality Road) to point for a summer campaign; narrow Saudi Derby runner-up Book'em Danno (Bucchero), who is reportedly headed to the $600,000 GII Pat Day Mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard May 4; and White Abarrio (Race Day), 10th in the Saudi Cup who has a repeat in the GI Whitney S. as a long-term objective.

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Japan’s Remake Turns the Tables in Riyadh Dirt Sprint

The Japan contingent went two-for-two in the major races early on Saudi Cup Day as Koichi Shintani's REMAKE (JPN) (h, 5, Lani–Sariel {Jpn}, by King Kamehameha {Jpn}) rallied powerfully in the $1.5-million G3 Sports Boulevard Riyadh Dirt Sprint to run down Steve Asmussen's Skelly (Practical Joke), while Bill Mott's Bold Journey (Hard Spun) got up late for third. In a notable twist, the same trio of conditioners also finished in the top three in the race in 2023, albeit in a very different order. The victory by a Japan-based horse was the third in five editions of the Riyadh Dirt Sprint, with Dancing Prince (Jpn) (Pas De Trois {Jpn}) taking the 2022 renewal and Copano Kicking (Spring At Last) winning in 2021.

“If Remake showed his performance, I was pretty sure he was going to get there,” said Shintani. “But as he got beaten last year it was so disappointing, so we spoke with the staff and tried to better that performance. I think he is at an advantage that he can race from anywhere and that is his strength.”

A bit of roughhousing shook up the outside horses as the gates flew, but Remake broke cleanly to their inside and was unbothered. The chestnut angled over to the rail behind the second flight as the first 400 metres registered in :23.44 and a trio up front showed the way. Japan's well-traveled Jasper Krone (Frosted) held a narrow lead between horses 800 metres on (:46.05) as Skelly threatened only briefly before safely taking the controls. At the same time, Remake floated out wide off the turn for a clear run from behind and relentlessly closed down the lane, full of run, as Skelly shortened stride. Rider Yuga Kawada put away his right-handed stick and kept his mount under a hand ride for the final strides, waving his hand to acknowledge the victory at the wire. Skelly held second while Bold Journey rallied late to best Jasper Krone, making his first start on dirt, for third. The final time for the 1200 metres was a sharp 1:10.42.

“I have won three Japan Derbies but this is even more,” said winning owner Koji Maeda. “When he came into the final bend he was travelling so well and I was pretty sure he was going to win.

“Physically he has improved since last year. The trainer and all his staff put everything together and brought the horse here for a brilliant result which makes it really special. I came from no background in racing and now I have 30 Group 1 winners as an owner-breeder. It means a lot. I will bring the trophy back to [the] hotel and sleep with it tonight.”

Third in this race behind Mott's Elite Power (Curlin) and Asmussen's Gunite (Gun Runner) last year, Remake turned the tables on the Americans with the win. Last year, Remake shipped to Dubai for the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen after the Dirt Sprint and finished fifth before returning to Japan for a listed stakes win and a second in the G3 Procyon S. He closed out the year with a G3 Korea Sprint score in Seoul and a runner-up finish in Japan's JBC Sprint. The Dirt Sprint was his first start since Nov. 3.

Pedigree Notes

A member of his sire's first crop, Remake is currently the sole black-type winner for Arrow Stud's Lani. The young stallion was bred in the U.S., won his biggest career race in Dubai, and stands in Japan. Although also trained in Japan, he did ship back to his native country to finish third in the 2016 GI Belmont S. after winning the G2 UAE Derby. King Kamehameha (Jpn), Japan's champion 3-year-old two decades ago, has 44 stakes winners, including Remake, out of his daughters. He hails from the Kingmambo branch of the Mr. Prospector line.

North Hills Co. Limited bred not only Remake, but also Lani and Lani's dam. The operation picked up Sariel, Remake's dam, for ¥21,000,000 at the 2007 Japan Racing Horse Association Select Sale. Her granddam is a half-sister to both the wonderful 1997 English Broodmare of the Year Slightly Dangerous (Roberto), whose four group winners included champions Commander In Chief (GB) (Dancing Brave) and Warning (GB) (Known Fact), and to group winner I Will Follow (Herbager {Fr}), dam of champion and excellent sire Rainbow Quest (Blushing Groom {Fr}).

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia
SPORTS BOULEVARD RIYADH DIRT SPRINT-G3, $1,500,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-24, NH/SH3yo/up, 1200m, 1:10.42, ft.
1–REMAKE (JPN), 126, h, 5, by Lani
1st Dam: Sariel (Jpn) (GSP-Jpn, $888,410), by King Kamehameha (Jpn)
2nd Dam: Shinko Nobby, by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Christabelle, by Northern Dancer
O-Koji Maeda; B-North Hills Co Ltd; T-Koichi Shintani; J-Yuga Kawada; $900,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Jpn & Kor, 16-8-3-2, $2,978,544. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Skelly, 126, g, 5, Practical Joke–Adande, by Bwana Charlie. ($250,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEP; $350,000 RNA 2yo '21 FTFMAR). O-Red Lane Thoroughbreds LLC; B-H Allen Poindexter (KY); T-Steve Asmussen; J-Ricardo Santana Jr; $300,000.
3–Bold Journey, 126, h, 5, Hard Spun–Polly Freeze, by Super Saver. ($75,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; $80,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable & Gary Barber; B-Fred W Hertrich III & John D Fielding (NY); T-Bill Mott; J-Joel Rosario; $150,000.
Margins: 1HF, 1HF, 1.
Also Ran: Jasper Krone, Cairama, Keiai Dorie (Jpn), Power of Beauty (Ire), Sunset Flash (Ire), Rebellious Stage, Tuz, Alfaisaleyah (GB). Click for the JCSA chart (R5).

 

 

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