BALTIMORE, Md. – Daniel Alonso’s Skippylongstocking tuned up for the May 21 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course with a five-furlong workout Friday morning at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, Fla.
The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained colt, who finished third in the April 9 Wood Memorial (G2), worked in company with Alonso’s Novo Sol, a multiple Group 1 stakes winner in Brazil who captured an allowance on Tapeta and finished third on turf in the April 2 Pan American (G2) in his two U.S. starts. Both horses were timed in 59.60 seconds.
“I thought it was a very good work,” Joseph said. “It went really well for both horses.”
Skippylongstocking had won one of his first seven starts – his maiden-breaking triumph coming by 10 ½ lengths in a one-turn mile race at Gulfstream Park in September – before winning his first race around two turns March 2. The Kentucky-bred colt made a sweeping move into the stretch in a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming allowance before drawing off to win by 3 ½ lengths and earn a shot at a Kentucky Derby (G1) prep. The Joseph trainee raced evenly while running on the outside throughout the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, finishing third behind Mo Donegal and Early Voting.
“The two mile-and-an-eighth races have definitely moved him forward. It was [jockey] Junior Alvarado’s recommendation after he ran the one-turn mile race before and stopped. He said ‘Try him two turns and longer. It might be a better fit.’ He was 100 percent spot-on. He ran two really good races,” Joseph said.
The 1 3/16-mile distance of the Preakness isn’t a concern for the trainer of the son of 2016 Preakness winner Exaggerator.
“I think the distance is going to help him, but obviously he’s going to face quality horses like Epicenter and the Chad Brown one that beat him in the Wood [Early Voting],” Joseph said. “We’re just taking a chance. We feel the distance is going to help him. We’ll hope for the best.”
Skippylongstocking is scheduled to arrive at Pimlico Sunday morning following a van ride from Florida.
Maryland Jockey Club Press Release
Photo: Skippylongstocking winning an AOC at Gulfstream March 2, 2022. (Coglianese)
