Skippylongstocking Looks for the Hat Trick in Charles Town Classic

[Wandering Eyes]

Two years ago, Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) ran off to an impressive victory in the GII Charles Town Classic and returned last term to replicate the feat, winning by 5 3/4 lengths as the even-money choice. At Charles Town Friday, the 6-year-old will try for the three-peat when he lines up against seven others in the nine-furlong test.

This season, the grey finished third in the GI Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream in January before taking Tampa's Challenger Stakes Mar. 8. Third in the GII Oaklawn Handicap in April, the Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee shipped cross-country to take the GII Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita May 26. Let go at 20-1 in his latest race–the GI Whitney Stakes–Skippylongstocking tired late to be seventh, beaten over 12 lengths by Sierra Leone (Gun Runner).

Jose Ortiz will ride the 7-5 morning line favorite.

Joseph also figures prominently in the seven-furlong GII Charles Town Oaks earlier in Friday's card.

The trainer is responsible for no less than four of the sophomore fillies entered, including 5-2 morning line choice Indy Bay (Take Charge Indy), winner of three consecutive races this season including the six-panel Jersey Girl Stakes at the Spa June 8. In her graded stakes debut, the dark bay finished a distant third behind the highly-regarded Echo Sound in the 6 1/2-furlong GIII Victory Ride Stakes at te Spa July 3.

Joseph is also represented by last out stakes winner Andrea (Thousand Words), SW Luvumorgan (Union Rags) and recent Iowa Oaks third Paradise City (McKinzie).

Searching for her first start of the season, Vodka With a Twist (Thousand Words) returns off a sixth-place finish when trying the turf at Ellis in the Pea Patch Stakes July 6. Runner-up in a pair of Grade I tests at two, the Phil D'Amato-trained filly ran second behind Kilwin (Twirling Candy) in the seven-furlong Leslie's Lady Overnight Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 8.

Luis Saez will ride the filly for the first time.

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