The class of Skippylongstocking was too much for his rivals in the Essex Handicap
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The veteran horse owned by Daniel Alonso added another graded stakes win to his career, this time on the Fair Grounds dirt
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (Special for Turf Diario).— Skippylongstocking did not need much time to confirm that his recent triumph in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) was no fluke. In his return to action following that milestone, the runner for Daniel Alonso's stable delivered a true masterclass of consistency in the Essex Handicap(G3), making it clear that he will be the benchmark of the division throughout the season in the United States. In the process, he also erased the bitter taste of his frustrated trip to California for the Santa Anita Handicap (G1).
The challenge was no small feat on paper for the son of Exaggerator, who had to carry the top weight of 124 pounds, giving away advantages of between 3 and 4 kilos to each of his rivals. However, none of that mattered in the development for the pupil of Saffie Joseph Jr., who ended up dazzling the crowd at Oaklawn Park this Saturday.
With Micah Husbands in the irons, the bay traveled expectantly in a fourth-place position during the first turn, then naturally moved into second as Accelerize (Omaha Beach) attempted to clear the field with fractions of 23s39/100 and 46s67/100. But the parity lasted only until the entrance to the final turn: there, Skippy took command effortlessly, and the rest was a monologue.
In the straight, and after just a couple of reminders from his rider to maintain focus, Skippylongstocking widened the margin to cross the wire with a 5 1/4-length advantage over Mackman (Union Rags), while San Siro (Classic Empire) completed the trifecta in a time of 1m48s82/100 for the 1,800 meters.
"There is always pressure when coming back after a big win, but the horse responded impressively," a satisfied Saffie Joseph Jr. told the local press. It is easy to see why: the runner achieved his 12th stakes victory, linking his third consecutive win.
Bred in Kentucky by Brushy Hill, the winner is a son of the generous Twinkling (War Chant). His sire, the remembered Exaggerator (winner of the Preakness Stakes (G1)), is standing the 2026 season at Elite Thoroughbreds in Louisiana for a fee of US$ 3,500.
It is worth noting that Exaggerator covered for one season in 2023, where, according to the local Stud Book, he left 13 offspring that will debut next season.
