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Skelly Scorches Rivals In Count Fleet Sprint

One of the most progressive horses to race during this year's meet at Oaklawn Park, Red Lane Thoroughbreds' Skelly (Practical Joke) took Saturday's $500,000 GIII Count Fleet Sprint H. by the scruff of the neck and never gave any of his rivals a chance, as he led past every pole for an impressive first victory at the stakes and graded stakes level.

Having earned the right to contest a race of this caliber off big-figure allowance scores in the slop Feb. 25 and over a fast strip Mar. 17, the $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase graduate was the fleetest of the fleet and took the field through an opening quarter-mile in :21.44 as he put several lengths on the chasers. Going great guns and maintaining the advantage for the run around the turn, the dark bay was by the half in a slick :44.46 and kicked home nicely to take it by a convincing margin. 'TDN Rising Star' Strobe (Into Mischief) raced three wide the trip and kept on bravely to be second in his stakes debut, while favored Tejano Twist (Practical Joke), last-out winner of the GIII Whitmore S. over the course and distance, was third.

It was the 100th Oaklawn stakes victory in the Hall of Fame career of trainer Steve Asmussen.

“That is exactly what happened [taking advantage of speed-favoring track],” the conditioner commented. “He's definitely the quickest half-mile of the [Asmussen trio] and showed it today. The racetrack's playing for that to be effective.”

Pedigree Notes:

Skelly becomes the 21st worldwide black-type winner and 14th group/graded winner for Practical Joke, whose California-based son Practical Move will be one of the top couple of choices for the GI Kentucky Derby in three weeks' time.

A $250,000 purchase out of the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase, Skelly was led out unsold on a bid of $350,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Florida the following March. A May 14 foal, Skelly is out of a daughter of the three-times stakes-placed Game for More, whose own produce include the versatile MGSW & GISP Isotherm (Lonhro {Aus}); GI Acorn S. third Gio Game (Gio Ponti); Giant Game (Giant's Causeway), runner-up in the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile; and the promising Japanese-based 3-year-old colt Great Sand Sea (Into Mischief).

Adande is due to Silver State for her 2023 foal.

Saturday, Oaklawn
COUNT FLEET SPRINT H.-GIII, $500,000, Oaklawn, 4-15, 4yo/up, 6f, 1:09.20, ft.
1–SKELLY, 117, g, 4, by Practical Joke
1st Dam: Adande, by Bwana Charlie
2nd Dam: Game for More, by More Than Ready
3rd Dam: Ermelinda, by Sea Hero
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($250,000
Ylg '20 FTKSEL; $350,000 RNA 2yo '21 FTFMAR). O-Red Lane
Thoroughbreds LLC; B-H. Allen Poindexter (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen; J-Ricardo Santana, Jr. $295,750. Lifetime Record:
8-4-3-0, $549,400. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Strobe, 119, c, 4, Into Mischief–Flashing, by A.P. Indy.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star'.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $91,000.
3–Tejano Twist, 124, g, 4, Practical Joke–Haley's Lolipop, by
Cuvee. O-JD Thoroughbreds LLC and Joey Keith Davis; B-Tom
Durant (KY); T-Chris A. Hartman. $45,500.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1, 3/4. Odds: 6.00, 2.50, 1.80.
Also Ran: Surveillance, Pirate Rick, Payne, Cogburn, Edge to Edge, Radical Right, Candy Man Rocket.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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In Italian Goes Coast to Coast in Keeneland’s Jenny Wiley

Peter Brant's In Italian (GB) (Dubawi {GB}), last seen finishing second in the Nov. 5 GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf, returned to the races with a dominant wire-to-wire victory in the GI Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland Saturday. Sent off the 3-5 favorite for her 5-year-old debut, the chestnut mare bound out to the early lead and was in control through fractions of :23.63 and :47.29. Asked to go by Irad Ortiz at the top of the lane, she extended her advantage in the blink of an eye and she was never challenged to the wire.

“She's been a nice filly all the time,” said Ortiz. “She broke quick out of the gate and then she relaxed. Her ears were up. She does that all the time. I was confident. The trainer told me just to go to the lead. She broke so good, I tried to relax her going into the first turn, and she switched off. That was key. After that, on the backside if somebody gets close to her, I can let her do her thing, because I know I have plenty in the tank. She was nice. She deserves all the credit. She got the job done.”

The victory gave trainer Chad Brown his sixth win and Brant his third in the Wiley.

“She's a wonderful mare,” said Brant. “She's been good from the very beginning, and we're very proud to have her. She's going to be a great broodmare for us. We're so excited; to win this race this number of times has been a great thrill for us. This is one of the most important filly-and-mare races, and it's just a great honor to win this race.”

In Italian, who has never been off the board in now 10 lifetime starts, was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following her maiden victory at Belmont in 2021, but it would be another eight months before she returned to the races. She made up for lost time in 2022, with wins in the GIII Honey Fox S., GI Diana S. and GI First Lady S. She attempted to stretch her speed to the F/M Turf's 1 3/16 miles and found only Tuesday (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) too good over the Keeneland turf last November.

Pedigree Notes:

In Italian's group-winning dam Florentina has an unraced 4-year-old gelding by Kingman (GB) in the UK and a filly by that sire foaled in Australia in 2020. The 15-year-old mare, a half to Group 1 winner Gathering (Aus) (Tale of the Cat), was barren to Yes Yes Yes (Aus) the past two seasons. She was bred to So You Think (NZ) last October.

JENNY WILEY S.-GI, $511,125, Keeneland, 4-15, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/16mT, 1:39.71, fm.
1–IN ITALIAN (GB), 123, m, 5, by Dubawi (Ire)
            1st Dam: Florentina (Aus) (GSW-Aus, $250,958), by Redoute's Choice (Aus)
            2nd Dam: Celebria (Aus), by Peintre Celebre
            3rd Dam: Twyla (Aus), by Danehill
(475,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Peter M. Brant; B-Fairway
Thoroughbreds (GB); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr..
$306,125. Lifetime Record: 10-6-3-1, $1,635,308. Werk Nick
   Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–With The Moonlight (Ire), 123, f, 4, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Sand Vixen (GB) (GSW-Eng, $119,931), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Fur Will Fly (GB), by Petong (GB)
3rd Dam: Bumpkin (GB), by Free State (Ire)
O/B-Godolphin LLC (IRE); T-Charles Appleby. $98,750.
3–White Frost, 123, m, 5, by Candy Ride (Arg)
1st Dam: Miss Frost (MSW, $247,259), by Curlin
2nd Dam: Allencat, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Pharma, by Theatrical (Ire)
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck);
B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY); T-William I. Mott.
$59,250.
Margins: 3, 1 1/4, 3. Odds: 0.75, 2.40, 7.68.
Also Ran: Skims (GB), Pizza Bianca, Queen Goddess. Scratched: Freedom Speaks, Henrietta Topham, Speak of the Devil (Fr). Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Twilight Gleaming Preps For Royal Ascot With Win In Giant’s Causeway S.

A sprint specialist, Twilight Gleaming made her seasonal debut Saturday with a clear win in Keeneland's 5 ½ furlong Giant's Causeway S. The GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Sprint winner from 2021, the Stonestreet-owned 'TDN Rising Star' won two of her four starts last year culminating in a fourth-place effort behind GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Caravel (Mizzen Mast) in the GIII Franklin S. at Keeneland Oct. 16. Not seen since, Twilight Gleaning returned to the races with aplomb Saturday as the 5-2 favorite.

Sitting pretty outside of Miner's Queen (Bernardini), she kept pressure on that pacesetter through an opening half in :44.39. Pushed to the front from the three path around the turn, Twilight Gleaming kicked into gear past the furlong marker and easily overtook the lead, keeping a closing 87-1 shot Querobin Duorada at bay for the win.

Trainer Wesley Ward seemed to indicate a return to Royal Ascot for his winning filly.

“Both fillies (Love Reigns and Twilight Gleaming) certainly look like they would do really, really well in the G1 King's Stand. We'll get home and assess it with the team. To have a stakes record in this race–there's been a lot of great fillies that have run in it– that really says a lot.”

Twilight Gleaming has a placed 3-year-old half-brother, Spartan Arrow (Ire) (Sioux Nation), a 2-year-old half-sister by Phoenix of Spain (Ire), and a yearling Ribchester (Ire) half-brother still to race. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

GIANT'S CAUSEWAY S., $214,650, Keeneland, 4-15, 3yo/up, f/m, 5 1/2fT, 1:01.74, fm.
1–TWILIGHT GLEAMING (IRE), 122, f, 4, National Defense
(GB)–Thames Pageant (GB), by Dansili (GB). (£75,000 Ylg '20
GOFOR). O-Stonestreet Stables LLC; B-Pier House Stud (Ire);
T-Wesley A. Ward; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr. $113,150. Lifetime Record:
GSW-USA, SW-Fr, GSP-Eng, 10-6-3-0, $906,580.
2–Querobin Dourada, 122, f, 4, Capo Bastone–Gusto Dolce
(Uru), by T. H. Approval. O-Brownwood Farm, LLC; B-Haras
Phillipson Inc. (KY); T-Paulo H. Lobo. $45,625.
3–Star Devine (Ire), 122, m, 5, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Stars At
Night (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (200,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT).
O-Lawrence Goichman; B-Rockhart Trading Ltd. (Ire); T-Jorge
Abreu. $18,250.
Margins: 1HF, HD, NK. Odds: 2.77, 87.18, 5.34.
Also Ran: Happy Soul, Little Jewel, Mamba Wamba (Ire), Minaun (Ire)-(DH), Miner's Queen-(DH), Oeuvre, Opening Buzz, Train to Artemus, Creative Credit. Scratched: Amy C (GB), Fast Giselle, Sarah Harper.

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‘TDN Rising Star’ First Mission Wins Lexington

Godolphin homebred First Mission, coming off an impressive maiden-breaking score at Fair Grounds last month, made the jump to graded company with aplomb, striding home a determined victor of the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland Saturday. Sent off at 2-1, the dark bay colt sat just off pacesetting Arabian Lion through fractions of :24.12 and :48.01. He cut the corner into the stretch as the pacesetter drifted out into the lane and gamely persevered as that foe drifted back in on him and he was inching clear late.

“This was a tough Lexington S.,” said Godolphin director of bloodstock Michael Banahan. “There were some nice horses in there. So we were very hopeful and confident that if he showed the talent that we thought he had, we had a big, big chance. It's exceptionally nice to see that happen, and especially the experience he needed to get, coming down [the stretch] in tight on the rail. For an inexperienced horse, I think that will hold well for the future with us.”

A debut second behind well-regarded stablemate Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) while sprinting six furlongs at Fair Grounds Feb. 18, First Mission romped home by 6 3/4 lengths in a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy performance when stretched to 1 1/16 miles in New Orleans last time out Mar. 18.

“[Trainer] Brad [Cox] just got this guy in after Christmas time and had never seen him before, so he wasn't sure where we were going to stable him for the winter time,” Banahan said. “He saw him work one time up at Churchill and he said, 'This horse is going down to Fair Grounds,' where he put all his good horses.

“We've always held him in high regard. He had a few juvenile issues last year, but we were very high on him. He ran a tremendous race first time out, when Brad's other horse beat him going six furlongs, knowing he wanted to stretch out. He won very easily last time.”

Asked if First Mission may make his next start in the GI Preakness S. in five weeks' time, Banahan said, “I think it will be ideal, really. When he ran in his maiden race, we thought, 'OK, let's come back a little quicker in the maiden, a little bit quicker back in here' from what Brad would normally do, to see if he had enough talent to do that. I think he answered a lot of questions today, so we'd certainly look hard at that. I think we have a nice horse for down the road even if he doesn't make one of the Classics.”

With his third-place finish, Winchell Thoroughbreds' Disarm earned enough points to qualify for a spot in the GI Kentucky Derby.

“It looks like he got enough points to go, so we have the option to go,” Ron Winchell said. “We'll see how he comes out of this race. We've always thought a mile and a quarter [of the Derby] would be fine for him.”

Pedigree Notes:

First Mission is the 39th worldwide graded winner for his sire, Street Sense. His dam Etude produced a full-brother last year and was bred back to Protonico. His second dam is Argentinian champion Forty Marchanta (Arg) (Roar).

Saturday, Keeneland
STONESTREET LEXINGTON S.-GIII, $398,750, Keeneland, 4-15, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.74, ft.
1–FIRST MISSION, 118, c, 3, by Street Sense
                1st Dam: Elude, by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Forty Marchanta (Arg), by Roar
                3rd Dam: Marcha Toss (Arg), by Egg Toss
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN.
'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Luis
Saez. $232,500. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $276,500.
Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Arabian Lion, 118, c, 3, Justify–Unbound, by Distorted
Humor. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
'TDN Rising Star'. ($600,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Zedan Racing
Stables, Inc.; B-Bonne Chance Farm LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
$75,000.
3–Disarm, 118, c, 3, Gun Runner–Easy Tap, by Tapit.
'TDN Rising Star'. O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY);
T-Steven M. Asmussen. $37,500.
Margins: HF, 4 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 2.19, 3.89, 3.46.
Also Ran: Denington, Demolition Duke, Prairie Hawk, Empirestrikesfast, Baseline Beater, Reinvest, Curly Larry and Mo. Scratched: Transect.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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