Skippylongstocking, White Abarrio Exit Pegasus in Good Order

[Wandering Eyes]

Stablemates Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) and White Abarrio (Race Day) exited their one-two finish in Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational in good shape and connections are still contemplating next moves for the 7-year-olds, according to trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.

“Nothing's signed yet. Just talking it over briefly, something like the GII Oaklawn Handicap comes into play for one of them,” Joseph said. “And also the G1 Dubai World Cup. But nothing's really been decided yet. We're going to sleep on it and then decide.”

The Oaklawn Handicap will be run at Oaklawn Park Apr. 18. The Dubai World Cup is scheduled for Mar. 28 at Meydan Racecourse.

Skippylongstocking was a 10-time graded stakes winner before earning his first Grade I victory at Gulfstream Saturday.

“He ran fast enough at times to win one, but he never did it. People were always knocking, knocking him, saying he's not a Grade I winner, not a Grade I winner, and look, he showed up,” Joseph said. “He did it in a race that a lot of great horses have won.”

Skippylongstocking rated well off the early pace under Tyler Gaffalione before rallying to catch defending champion White Abarrio in deep stretch in what was the later's first start since being controversially scratched by attending veterinarians at Del Mar just minutes before the start of the Nov. 1 GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

“Obviously, there was a lot of pressure running Abarrio after being scratched from the Breeders' Cup. You're overthinking everything–that's not the way you want to train a horse. You have to train with confidence, but we couldn't be confident because of the lack of preparation,” Joseph said. “I didn't know how he would run. Going into the race, there was no confidence. To do what he did [Saturday] was special.”

Test Score (Lookin at Lucky) and One Stripe (SAf) (One World {SAf}), another pair of stablemates who finished one-two Saturday at Gulfstream, this time in the G1 Pegasus Turf World Cup Invitational, were reported in fine shape by trainer Graham Motion Sunday.

“Everybody looks really good,” Motion said. “One Stripe's a little irritated about being beaten, I think, but they both seem really good.”

Amerman Racing's 4-year-old homebred Test Score, second by less than a length after a troubled trip in the Nov. 29 GI Hollywood Derby, and jockey Manny Franco split horses in the stretch and held off One Stripe's dramatic late run to earn his second career Grade I victory and push his bankroll over $2 million.

“I've rewatched it a lot,” Motion said. “It was hard to watch at the time. I kind of focused on One Stripe at the top of the stretch and I didn't realize that the horse he was going to nail if he got there was Test Score. It was a little bit surreal.”

Hollywood Racing and Rikesh Sewgoolam's 5-year-old One Stripe, a two-time Group 1 winner at home under regular South African rider Gavin Lerena, found himself well out in the center of the turf course when they uncorked a furious late surge.

“Around the three-eighths pole Gavin said [One Stripe] got a little tight and got a little intimidated there and it took him a little while to get going. Once he straightened away, it took him a while to kind of switch leads and run on, which I think is why he ended up so far out on the track. But what a brave race he ran,” Motion said.

“Both jocks were great. I think the difference was the trip Manny had. It was just a perfect trip,” Motion added. “Test Score is just so resilient. He always just tries so hard. He's such a tough horse. He's a kind, kind horse in the morning but he's such a competitor.”

Motion said Test Score will get some time off after racing nine times at seven different tracks in 11 months and could point for the May 2 GI Turf Classic on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

“I'm definitely going to freshen him up. A race like the [Turf Classic] on Derby Day would probably make sense,” Motion said. “It's the right distance for him, it's a big purse and the timing would be good.”

One Stripe was making his second start of the Championship Meet Saturday, having earned his first North American victory in a one-mile optional claiming allowance Dec. 26 and may be pointed long-term at the GI Arlington Million at Colonial Downs in August.

“I really think a mile and a quarter is going to be in his scope. I think that's the kind of race I'd like to point for this summer, but I haven't really thought about his next start,” Motion said. “I really didn't think beyond the day for either one of them, but I'm not going to be in a hurry to run them back. One Stripe has had two pretty strong runs down here, so I'm not going to be looking to run him back real quick.

“I've had an extraordinary amount of people reach out. I guess being on national television makes a difference, but it's very rewarding,” he added. “I'm so pleased for the South African crew. They had faith in this horse and it kind of showed to be justified that he's this kind of horse. And I couldn't be prouder of Test Score. We've been really lucky with this horse and Trikari. I'm so fortunate to have some of these nice horses for Mr. Amerman.”

The post Skippylongstocking, White Abarrio Exit Pegasus in Good Order appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article