Gulfstream Notebook: ‘Skippy’ Possible For Ghostzapper

[Wandering Eyes]

Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator), who acted up badly on the plane that was meant to transport him to California for Saturday's GI Santa Anita Handicap and was subsequently scratched, is possible for one of two races over the coming weeks.

“I always look at it as everything happens for a reason. No regrets,” said trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., who saddles three horses in Saturday's Barbados Gold Cup in his native country. “He'll probably run at Oaklawn in the Essex, or he'll run at Gulfstream in the Ghostzapper. I'm going to work him when I get back.”

The 1 1/8-mile GIII Essex Handicap will be run Mar. 21 at Oaklawn Park, while the 1 1/16-mile GIII Ghostzapper Stakes will be renewed a week later on the undercard of the $1-million GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 28.

Skippylongstocking was last seen defeating stablemate White Abarrio (Race Day) in the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Jan. 24.

Trainer Ian Wilkes reports that both Just Basking (Arrogate) and Burnham Square (Liam's Map) have emerged from their efforts Feb. 28 in good shape and laid out plans for the near future.

Winner of the 2024 Iowa Oaks and third in that year's GI Alabama Stakes, Just Basking was third to 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Senza Parole (Gun Runner) in a one-mile dirt allowance Jan. 15 and came with a late charge beneath Javier Castellano to take out the GIII The Very One Stakes by a half-length. She could make her next appearance in the GIII Bewitch Stakes at Keeneland on Apr. 24.

“It's a little later in the meet, but she's a light filly,” Wilkes said. “She ran hard, and I just don't want to reel her back here too quick because it's a long year. She's run twice here now, so we'll look ahead to Keeneland.”

Burnham Square was having his first run since a cracking runner-up effort in the GIII Nashville Derby last Aug. 30 and got home well over an insufficient trip to round out the exacta in allowance company. Wilkes has the Whitham homebred pointed for the GIII Elkhorn Stakes at Keeneland on Apr. 18.

“Burham Square ran a real good race. Was I ready to run him? Probably not, but there was nothing in the next book for him and I wanted to get a race into him here,” Wilkes said. “He came out of it good, which was the main object. He came out good and his gallop-out was tremendous. He'll go to the Elkhorn now.

“It's always a relief when you get them back, but the way he trained I had confidence,” Wilkes said. “He's trained very well. He didn't miss a beat and hasn't missed a beat and has just trained better this year than last year, and he trained good last year. It's exciting. I hope I don't jinx him. We'll just keep going forward. Distance is going to be his friend. He'll get stronger as they go [longer].”

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