Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Skippylongstocking earns 107 Beyer in Oaklawn ’Cap
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.–Skippy long stocking could see action next in Kentucky or New York after putting up the year’s highest Beyer Speed Figure for an older dirt horse in last weekend’s Grade 2, $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap.
Skippy long stocking earned a Beyer of 107. It’s second among all dirt numbers, behind the 110 earned by Fierceness in the Florida Derby. Tape to Tape has the year’s second-highest older dirt horse Beyer, a 106 earned for an allowance sprint win April 21 at Lone Star Park.
Skippy long stocking won over 1 1/8 miles in the Oaklawn Handicap. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Tuesday the horse has returned to the Palm Meadows training center in South Florida. Plans for his next start are being discussed with owner Daniel Alonso.
“He bounced out of the race well,” Joseph said. “Nothing’s set in stone, but there’s a couple of options for him. We could go to the Stephen Foster at Churchill or we could go to the Suburban.
“The Stephen Foster is good timing-wise. It’s a Grade 1. And it’s over a distance he likes. But we haven’t finalized anything. We’ll give it two more weeks before we really decide where we’re going to go.”
The $1 million Stephen Foster is June 29. The Grade 2, $350,000 Suburban will be run over 1 1/4 miles on June 8 at Saratoga.
Skippy long stocking tracked the pace in second in the Oaklawn Handicap and went on to cover the distance in 1:49. He won by two lengths under Jose Ortiz.
“He traveled well in the race the whole way, then when he quickened, when Jose asked him to go on, he put the race to bed,” Joseph said.
Joseph said Skippy long stocking would remain at Palm Meadows through his next race and from there would summer at Saratoga.
Preakness status undecided
Owners Kirk and Judy Robison and trainer Steve Asmussen are taking a wait-and-see approach with Informed Patriot and the Preakness.
The horse earned a berth into the race Saturday with his win in the $200,000 Bath House Row Stakes at Oaklawn. Informed Patriot was a head winner over stablemate Imperial Gun. Informed Patriot, who was ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., was winning his first stakes. Plans are to be determined, Asmussen said Tuesday.
“We’ll see how he trains,” Asmussen said. “I know that it’s a paid-in race to the Preakness. Obviously, we will see how the Derby shakes out, who all’s going, and have the discussion with Kirk.
“Ricardo gave him the trip that he needed and it was obviously his best race to date.”
Asmussen said Imperial Gun is a “strong possibility” for the Sir Barton at Pimlico. The 1 1/16-mile race is run on the Preakness undercard May 18.
Gould’s Gold, who was third in the Bath House Row, has shipped to Kentucky and could run next in an allowance, said trainer Kenny McPeek.
Winnable injured, retired
Winnable, who captured the $200,000 Valley of the Vapors on Saturday at Oaklawn, has been retired, trainer Kenny McPeek said Tuesday.
Winnable was injured in the race, he said. She is expected to begin a new career as a broodmare. McPeek said those plans are to be determined by her breeder and owner, Stoneleigh Farm. Winnable is a 3-year-old by Justify.
Neom Beach, who was second by a head in the Valley of the Vapors in her third stakes placing of the Oaklawn meet, could see action on turf down the line, according to trainer Steve Asmussen.
Earlier in the meet, Neom Beach was third in both the $200,000 Year’s End and $250,000 Martha Washington. She was a local allowance winner in March.
“I think she has run valiantly at Oaklawn all spring,” Asmussen said, “but still at the back of my mind she’s got the possibility of being better on the turf.”
Asmussen said Neom Beach likely will now head to Churchill.
“I would like to work her on the turf a time or two,” he said. “I had planned on running her on the turf last year, loved how she had worked over it at Saratoga in the summer.”
Torres has Churchill mounts
Oaklawn leading jockey Cristian Torres will be riding at Churchill next Friday and Saturday, but will be back home for the closing day card in Arkansas on May 5, according to agent Cody Autrey.
Torres had three stakes mounts on the Kentucky Derby undercard as of Wednesday. Autrey said he’s scheduled to ride in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs, the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile, and the Grade 2 American Turf.
Torres was to have ridden Common Defense in the Kentucky Derby if the bubble horse got in, but trainer Kenny McPeek said Tuesday that Common Defense is no longer under consideration for the race.
Torres, who has been dominant at Oaklawn, will be based at Churchill following the end of this meet.