Skippylongstocking Returns in Harlan's Holiday

A field filled with graded stakes experience will line up Dec. 31 for the $150,000 Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. The 1 1/16-mile dirt race features eight 3-year-olds and up and is a prep race for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1). 

One name that draws attention is the Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Skippylongstocking . Owned by Daniel Alonso and bred by Brushy Hill, the Exaggerator  colt returns after a more than three-month hiatus after finishing ninth in the Sept. 24 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx Racing.

He has been a regular participant in notable stakes for 3-year-olds, having spent his spring and summer running in the Preakness Stakes (G1) (fifth), Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) (third), the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino (G2) (third), and the West Virginia Derby (G3) (first).

"He's a horse who always tries hard and is pretty consistent except his last race. Since we sent him two turns, he's been very consistent around two turns," Joseph said. "His last race, apart from it being against top competition, was probably a long race at the end of his long campaign. We've freshened him after that, and he's had a steady series of works. I expect him to run well."

Another leading 3-year-old is Tami Bobo's Simplification , whose year of graded stakes runs includes a fourth-place effort in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), a sixth in the Preakness, a fourth in the Pennsylvania Derby, a seventh in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), and a third in the Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa (G1). Simplification, trained by Antonio Sano, most recently competed in the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland.

Eyes will be locked on the rail-drawn O'Connor , another Joseph trainee, who is making just his second North American start. His last time out on Oct. 16, he dazzled on the same Gulfstream surface and distance, outclassing the field in an allowance optional claiming race by six lengths. He has four other starts this year, all in his native Chile. In those, he has gone 2-2-0.

"I was very impressed with his 'W.' If anything, he kind of exceeded expectations, the way he won," Joseph said of the Fernando Vine Ode and Michael and Jules Iavarone-owned 5-year-old. "I was a little concerned the distance was going to be too short for him. He's a horse that wants a mile and an eighth, mile and a quarter. To see him make that move early enough, it gave me confidence in him."

Also in the field is Sumaya U.S. Stables' Pioneer of Medina , who, despite a 19th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, acquitted himself well in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) by finishing third and fourth in the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford (G2). The Todd Pletcher trainee scored last out in an allowance optional claiming race at Churchill Downs Nov. 17. 

Rounding out the field are Cooke Creek ; South Bend , who finished second in this race a year ago; Strike Hard ; and Clapton .

Colorful Mischief Looks to Rebound in Rampart

Also on Saturday's card is the $125,000 Rampart Stakes for fillies and mares 3-year-old and up over a one-turn mile.

Colorful Mischief , a daughter of Into Mischief   out of the Distorted Humor mare Color Me Flying , looks to get back in form after a disappointing seventh in the Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland Oct. 22. 

In that race, the Pletcher trainee never exhibited the degree of quickness she had shown through most of her nascent career. Prior to that, the St. Elias Stable-owned filly ran a distant third in the Dogwood Stakes (G3). Overall, she has two wins and three thirds in six starts.

Rodney Lundock's homebred Maryquitecontrary  will depart the gate with a 4-1-0 mark in five starts, including a win in the Sheer Drama Stakes and second in the Azalea Stakes. Joseph Catanese III's trainee is no stranger to the dirt at Gulfstream. All five of her starts have come there. The question for her will be whether she is ready for the longer distance, having never gone more than seven furlongs. 

Meanwhile, Slam Dunk Racing, Saffie Joseph Hr., Daniel Damen, Dominique Damico, Steven Bouchey, Parkinson Goodrich, K-Mac Stables, and Brian Martin's Allworthy  enters the Rampart off of a pair of graded stakes tries—the Bessarabian Stakes (G2) and Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2), both on synthetic surfaces. While a ninth-place finish in the former was not representative of the abilities possessed by the Tonalist filly, the third-place showing in the latter gives hope.

She could further benefit from racing on dirt, the surface on which she has recorded her three victories in 15 starts. Two of those victories came at Gulfstream.

Completing the field are Illiogami , Indicia , Music City Star , Soul of an Angel , and Zainalarab .

Entries: Harlan's Holiday S. (G3)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 31, 2022, Race 10

• Grade III
• 1 1/16m
• Dirt
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 4:40 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	O'Connor (CHI)	Edgard J. Zayas	121	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	-
2	Pioneer of Medina (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Todd A. Pletcher	-
3	Cooke Creek (KY)	Jorge Ruiz	118	Jeremiah O'Dwyer	-
4	Simplification (FL)	Junior Alvarado	120	Antonio Sano	-
5	South Bend (KY)	Joel Rosario	121	William I. Mott	-
6	Strike Hard (KY)	Leonel Reyes	118	Matthew J. Williams	-
7	Skippylongstocking (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	123	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	-
8	Clapton (FL)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Juan Alvarado	-

Entries: Rampart S.

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 31, 2022, Race 6

• STK
• 1m
• Dirt
• $125,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 2:39 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Illiogami (KY)	Luis Saez	121	George R. Arnold, II	-
2	Allworthy (KY)	Edgard J. Zayas	121	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	-
3	Soul of an Angel (KY)	Shaun Bridgmohan	118	Gerald James	-
4	Colorful Mischief (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Todd A. Pletcher	-
5	Zainalarab (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	121	Brendan P. Walsh	-
6	Indicia (KY)	Reynier Arrieta	121	Heather Irion	-
7	Maryquitecontrary (FL)	Luca Panici	120	Joseph C. Catanese, III	-
8	Music City Star (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	121	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	-