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Florida-based trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. finally broke his maiden at Oaklawn. And it occurred in a seven-figure race.
Favored Skippylongstocking gave Joseph his breakthrough victory in Saturday’s $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles.
Skippylongstocking ($7.60) marked the 17th career Oaklawn starter for Joseph, who collected his third consecutive training title at the recently concluded Gulfstream Park Championship Meet. Joseph started his first horse at Oaklawn in 2019, with his previous best finish in Hot Springs third.
Skippylongstocking’s sparkling two-length victory came a week after stablemates Sara’s Shaman ran eighth in an allowance race and Honor D Lady finished ninth in the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1). Another Joseph trainee, Cool Memory, finished sixth in Saturday’s second race at Oaklawn, a starter-allowance route.
“They didn’t run too good last week, last Saturday,” Joseph said in a telephone interview moments after the Oaklawn Handicap. “We shipped two up and they didn’t run good. We put these two on the van the day after. I was like, ‘Oh geez!’ But just different circumstances. He ran well. You’ve got to take the ups and downs and keep moving forward.”
Joseph called the Oaklawn Handicap, which featured seven graded stakes winners, the best performance on Skippylongstocking’s 23-race resume.
A forward factor from the start under Jose Ortiz, Skippylongstocking tracked stablemate County Final for three-quarters of a mile before gliding to the lead on the outside passing the five-sixteenths pole. Skippylongstocking was three lengths clear in midstretch and never threatened approaching the wire.
Under top weight of 122 pounds, Skippylongstocking ran 1 1/8 miles over a fast track in a meet-best 1:49, a time that generated a 114 Equibase speed rating. First Mission (Essex Handicap) and Muth (Arkansas Derby [G1]) own the top Equibase speed ratings at the meet (115). Those races were also at 1 1/8 miles.
Skippylongstocking was exiting a 2½-length victory in the Challenger Stakes (G3) March 9 at Tampa Bay Downs. The 5-year-old son of Exaggerator has now won consecutive races for the first time in his career.
Joseph said the timing and record purse (the Oaklawn Handicap was previously worth $1 million) made a road trip to Hot Springs an attractive option for Skippylongstocking.
“Obviously, it’s huge purse,” Joseph said. “He’s by Exaggerator. He’s not by a fashionable, well-bred stud, so his value, probably, as far as earning things on the track, he’s going to earn it the hard way. Definitely ($1.25 million), you don’t get that opportunity very often. Thankful to come to Oaklawn. Thankful to win such a race. Just proud of the horse and the whole team.”
Skippylongstocking increased his career earnings to $2,291,685 following his eighth victory and sixth in stakes company.
Owner Daniel Alonso purchased Skippylongstocking for just $37,000 at the 2021 OBS Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in training.
As part of the Maryland Jockey Club’s “Win Today, See You in May Series,” Skippylongstocking’s Oaklawn Handicap victory earned him automatic entry into the $250,000 Pimlico Special (G3) May 17. While next-race plans are pending, Joseph is already eyeing another seven-figure race, the $- million Charles Town Classic (G2) Aug. 23 at Charles Town. Skippylongstocking was a five-length winner of the 2023 Charles Town Classic.
“We’re going to try to get back to the Charles Town Classic and try to see if he can repeat there,” Joseph said. “But nothing was really picked out after this race. This race was going to lead us where to go. We’ll sit down and talk it over and come up with a plan.”
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