Skippylongstocking showed his veteran class and punched his ticket to the Pegasus World Cup

The son of Exaggerator dug in all the way to the wire in the Harlan’s Holiday and once again proved that, at six, he remains a top-class player on the big stage

Skippylongstocking dug in along the inside to turn back the challenge of Poster / ADAM COGLIANESE

HALLANDALE BEACH, Florida (Special to Turf Diario) Experience once again proved the deciding factor at Gulfstream Park. In a pulsating finish, the battle-tested Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) relied on grit and veteran savvy to fend off a late surge from Poster (Munnings), securing a head victory in the GIII Harlan’s Holiday S. The win officially secures his spot in the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 24.

The 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-olds and up served as a centerpiece of an 11-race card featuring five stakes, including the GII Fort Lauderdale S. For Daniel Alonso’s colorbearer, it was another chapter in a career defined by longevity and consistency.

Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr., the son of Exaggerator entered with questions to answer following uncharacteristic efforts—a seventh in Saratoga’s GI Whitney S. and an eighth in the GII Charles Town Classic. However, a meticulously planned layoff and renewed confidence from his connections paid dividends.

The pace was honest from the jump. Stablemate Hold My Bourbon (Anchor Down) took the early lead pressed by Chilean import Con Compania (Awesome Patriot), clicking off fractions of :22.87 and :45.95. Tyler Gaffalione kept Skippylongstocking well-positioned, saving ground along the rail. Turning for home, as the leader began to tire, the bay briefly lacked racing room but responded instantly when shifted to the three-path.

The ultimate challenge arrived in the form of the Godolphin-owned favorite Poster. Under Flavien Prat, the sophomore launched a sustained outside bid that sent the crowd into a frenzy. It became a high-voltage duel between the war-horse and the rising star. In the final strides, Skippylongstocking reached deep into his arsenal of experience, refusing to yield and holding the narrowest of margins at the wire.

“I’m so proud of him. He battled the whole way; it was a very courageous performance,” said Gaffalione. Joseph added, “When a horse runs two bad races, you never know how they’ll return. But he trained better than ever. He’s all heart, and you can’t teach that.”

The final time was 1:43.05. This victory marks the 10th stakes win for Skippylongstocking, pushing his career earnings past the $3.7-million mark. Third in last year’s Pegasus behind stablemate White Abarrio, the veteran returns to the world stage with renewed momentum.

“If he draws a good post, he can win the Pegasus,” Joseph noted. Given Saturday’s performance, that claim carries plenty of weight.