Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) breezed a half mile in :49.90 over the Oklahoma dirt training track Sunday in preparation for a start in the Sept. 28 GII Woodward at Belmont at the Big A.
Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., the 5-year-old won three graded stakes this season, including last time out in the GII Charles Town Classic on Aug. 23.
“It's a good spot for him and he's doing well at Saratoga, so it's not too long of a ship,” Joseph, Jr. said. “He just seems to keep getting better. He had a good work [Sunday] and for him it was just perfection. I just hope he can continue the way he is right now.”
Joseph, Jr. could also be represented by C2 Racing Stable and Agave Racing Stable's Soul of an Angel (Atreides), who is possible for the 6 1/2-furlong GII Gallant Bloom Sept. 29.
Joseph, Jr. said Soul of an Angel worked well Saturday while covering three-eighths in :36 flat in company with Practically Dark over the Oklahoma dirt training track.
The 5-year-old was purchased privately earlier this year and won the GII Ruffian going a one-turn mile on May 4 here on debut for Joseph, Jr.
Soul of an Angel, fifth in the nine-furlong GI Ogden Phipps after a slow start, was a close second in the 1 1/16-mile GIII Molly Pitcher in July at Monmouth and a distant third last out in the nine-furlong GI Personal Ensign on Aug. 23 at the Spa.
“She is possible to cut back in the Gallant Bloom but it's not decided just yet,” Joseph, Jr. said. “We just want to get her back to one turn. She hasn't run at one turn since she won the Ruffian.”
Miller Racing's dual graded stakes-winner Spirit Wind (Bahamian Squall) was also on the Oklahoma tab Saturday, covering three-eighths in :35.66.
Joseph, Jr. indicated the 5-year-old mare could target the Oct. 5 GII Thoroughbred Club of America at Keeneland.
Joseph also indicated C Two Racing Stable and Mathis Stable's The Queens M G (Thousand Words), winner of Saratoga's Schuylerville and GIII Adirondack this summer, would likely stretch out around two turns in the 1 1/16-mile GI Alcibiades on Oct. 4 at Keeneland.
The dark bay, a private purchase following a gritty debut win in April at Keeneland, finished a distant fifth last out in the seven-furlong GI Spinaway Aug. 31.
“No excuses for her as far as trip last time,” he said. “The trip was perfect and she came out of it well. The slop was an unknown factor and maybe that was the cause, but time will tell,” Joseph, Jr. said. “She's probably going to go to Keeneland. I'd like to try her two turns and see how she gets on there in the Grade I.”
Joseph Jr. added that C2 Racing Stable, Kuehne Racing and Mark Corrado's Andrea (Thousand Words), who is 2-for-2 after a pair of frontrunning romps at Gulfstream this summer, exited Saturday's Hallandale Beach victory in good order, however, her next start has yet to be decided.
“She's a nice filly. She's progressive and really going in the right direction,” Joseph, Jr. said. “She had a nice debut, and we stretched her out [Saturday] which was not ideal going from 5 1/2-furlongs to a mile, but there weren't any other options. She handled it well.”
Andrea was purchased by Joseph, Jr. for $105,000 from the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in training where she worked in :9.4.
“She looked like she had speed and class. You never know until you get them back to the track, but since she came in she's trained well,” Joseph, Jr. said.
The South Florida-based trainer also noted that last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic-winner White Abarrio (Race Day), who finished fifth last time out in the GI Metropolitan Handicap in June, remains in training at Saratoga and is getting closer to a breeze.
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