HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Skippylongstocking was an emphatic winner of the Grade 3, $500,000 Essex Handicap on Saturday at Oaklawn Park, where he shuttled home by 5 1/4 lengths over Mackman.
It was another neck back in third to San Siro.
The Essex was Skippylongstocking’s first race since becoming a Grade 1 winner in the Pegasus World Cup in January. He has now won 14 of 37 starts and earned $5,746,250 for owner Daniel Alonso. The ontrack crowd Saturday was an estimated 34,000, according to figures provided by Oaklawn.
Skippylongstocking ($4.20) went into the first turn four wide Saturday and moved up to track leader Accelerize during an opening-quarter 23.39 seconds. Skippylongstocking continued to sit just off the pacesetter through a half-mile in 46.67 seconds before taking the lead through six furlongs in 1:10.33. Skippylongstocking shook clear into the stretch under Micah Husbands and increased his margin to the wire to cover the 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:48.82.
The time was the fastest Essex since the race was moved from 1 1/16 miles to 1 1/8 miles in 2024.
“They went quick and he was on the pace and he was doing it for good reason,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “We don’t really want to rush him. The intention was to kind of ride him patient, but in the first turn they were kind of jumbled up and Micah made the right initiative there to go forward instead of getting caught wide. I thought that was a smart move. And then he was in that quick pace. He was doing it very easy, but it’s not the ideal scenario for him. But obviously he took off.
“You go there hoping to win the race, but he won even beyond expectations. The horse is in fine form now.”
The Essex was the third straight win for Skippylongstocking, who began his streak in the Harlan’s Holiday.
Joseph said the son of Exaggerator will now return home to South Florida.
Runaway Again was a late scratch after a gate issue Saturday.
Earlier on the card, Peignoir ($6.20) rolled to a four-length win over Sugar Fish in the $135,000 Lapatourel. It was another three-quarters of a length back in third to Seraphia.
The race was an overnight stakes for fillies and mares.
Peignoir covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.22. Cristian Torres was aboard the daughter of Mendelssohn for trainer Rudy Brisset. The winner races for Carolyn and Fletcher Gray and Doug Hesterley.
Brisset said plans are to be determined for Peignoir.
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