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Skippylongstocking in good form for G2 Woodward

by Christian Abdo

Daniel Alonso’s multiple graded stakes-winner Skippylongstocking looks for his next big score in Saturday’s Grade 2, $400,000 Woodward, a nine-furlong test for 3-year-olds and up, at Belmont at the Big A.

Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., the 5-year-old Exaggerator bay enters from a successful title defense in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Charles Town Classic on August 23 at its namesake track. There, Skippylongstocking led by one length at each call before drawing off to win by 5 3/4 lengths.

The impressive performance was awarded a 106 Beyer Speed Figure, one point shy of his career-best 107 earned for a two-length victory in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in April.

“At this stage right now, I think he is probably doing his best. It is hard to believe he’s getting better, but that is what he’s continued to do and I feel like he is coming into the Woodward the right way,” said Joseph, Jr. “I feel like we’re in tip-top shape and I’m very optimistic that he’s going there in as good of form as he’s ever been.”

Skippylongstocking previously finished fifth in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Whitney on August 3 at Saratoga Race Course, where he stalked the victorious Arthur’s Ride after being bumped at the start and weakened in the final eighth of the muddy and sealed test. Prior to that, Skippylongstocking was third at the same distance in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster on June 29 at Churchill Downs.

“In the Whitney, he was chasing Arthur’s Ride the whole way around, which kind of took a toll as far as getting a placing. We gave him a little break after the Stephen Foster, and we weren’t really sure about going to the Whitney, but the ownership wanted to give Saratoga one try,” Joseph, Jr. said. “I felt like, if anything, I did not have the horse at his optimum best going into that race, I’ll take the blame instead of the horse.”

Skippylongstocking has earned in excess of $2.9 million through a lifetime record of 26-9-2-5, including seven graded victories. He has also placed at the topflight in last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and the 2022 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

Bred in Kentucky by Brushy Hill, Skippylongstocking, out of the War Chant mare Twinkling, is a half-brother to graded stakes-placed Olivia Twist and Moonlite Strike.

Manny Franco will look to engineer a winning trip from post 1, carrying 124 pounds.

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stables’ Crupi [post 2, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 124 pounds] closed from 12 lengths back in last-of-10 to finish second in the Whitney.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, the 4-year-old Curlin chestnut rallied from last to win the Grade 2 Suburban in June at the Spa, similar to late-running placings this year when third in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January at Gulfstream Park and second in the Grade 2 Brooklyn here.

Crupi earned a career-best 106 Beyer for the Whitney second, and continued a strong run of form after breaking his maiden last July. Since the eighth-out graduation, Crupi holds a 9-4-2-1 record, adding a pair of local Listed stakes in the Queens County and Discovery in November and December- both over the Woodward course and distance.

“I thought he ran really well in the Whitney and was a good second. He seems like he’s improved this year, as we thought he would. He’s always run well here at Aqueduct and hopefully he does that again,” said Pletcher. “I think he’s getting into the race a little better and has had more experience.

“He’s improved physically and has gotten stronger. He’s learned and he’s one of those that we always felt like there was talent there – it just took a little while for him to put it all together,” Pletcher added.

Out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Don’tforgetaboutme, Crupi was a $275,000 purchase at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Pletcher will also send out Whisper Hill Farm and Gainesway Stable’s Grade 1-winner Tapit Trice [post 3, Dylan Davis, 124 pounds], who enters from a fourth in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 1 at Saratoga. There, the 4-year-old Tapit gray was a popular betting alternative to the favored Arthur’s Ride, but didn’t make up much ground from his stalking position.

Tapit Trice made a successful seasonal debut in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Monmouth Cup at its namesake oval. The 5 1/4-length win came off a layoff dating to a third in the Grade 1 Travers last August at the Spa in his first start with blinkers. Last year, Tapit Trice won the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland and also was third in the Grade 1 Belmont.

“He ran great in the Monmouth Cup and ran steadily in the Jockey Club, so hopefully he can run back to his best,” Pletcher said.

Bred in Kentucky by co-owner Gainesway, Tapit Trice, a $1.3 million 2021 Keeneland September Yearling purchase, is out of the multiple graded stakes-placed mare Danzatrice.

Ignacio Hurtado and Ignacio Hurtado, Jr.’s Chilean Triple Crown-winner Kay Army [post 5, Junior Alvarado, 126 pounds], who was a 10-for-10 powerhouse with nine of those scores on turf in his native Chile, is set to make his U.S. debut for Hall of Famer Bill Mott.

Kay Army won five Group 1 races last year, including the first two legs of the Chilean Triple Crown in the El Ensayo in October at Club Hipico De Santiago and the St. Leger [on dirt] at Hipodromo Chile.

The 4-year-old son of Katmai, trained by Juan Pablo Baeza Jarpa and piloted by Oscar Ulloa Perez, was set to line up for Triple Crown glory in February but would have to wait one month to complete the feat when forest fires forced Valparaiso Sporting Club to postpone the Group 1 El Derby.

However, there would be no stopping Kay Army in the 1 1/2-mile [2,400 meters] turf test as the talented chestnut rallied into contention once straightened away and drew off to best his previously undefeated stablemate Wentrue by 6 1/4-lengths. In May, the eighth-place finisher of that event, Frateli La Vita, captured the 1 1/4-mile Group 1 Gran Premio Club Hipico Falabella at Club Hipico de Santiago to earn a "Win and You're In" berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile in November at Del Mar.

Kay Army has breezed extensively over the Oklahoma dirt training track at Saratoga in preparation for his stateside debut, including a five-eighths breeze in 1:02.45 on September 15.

Rounding out the field is John Holleman’s Grade 3-winner Masqueparade [post 4, Kendrick Carmouche, 122 pounds], who will cut back in distance from a second in the 1 3/4-mile Listed Birdstone in August at the Spa. Trained by Rob Atras, the 6-year-old Upstart gelding was defeated 22 1/4-lengths by dominant marathoner Next, also the winner of the Grade 2 Brooklyn in their prior outing where Masqueparade landed fourth.

“We took one run at him [Next] on the turn and he [Manny Franco] realized we weren't getting it and didn't beat him up because it was over for second. He came out of the race good,” said Atras of the Birdstone effort. “It's going to be a tough race, but I like him at the mile and an eighth. It's a good distance for him.”

Before the recent marathon attempts, Masqueparade was a three-quarter-length third in the Grade 2 Suburban won by Crupi. The biggest win of Masqueparade’s career came at nine furlongs in the Grade 3 Ohio Derby in June 2021 for trainer Al Stall, Jr.

The Woodward is slated as Race 4 on Saturday’s 12-race card, which also features Grade 1, $500,000 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic [Race 6]; Grade 2, $200,000 Pilgrim, a "Win and You're In” for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf [Race 11]; and Grade 3, $250,000 Vosburgh, a "Win and You're In” for the Breeders' Cup Sprint [Race 9]. First post is 12:05 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Belmont at the Big A fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

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