Sparkle Blue lulled her five rivals to sleep in Saturday’s $200,000 Hillsborough (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs, setting a glacial pace and withstanding several late challenges to win the nine-furlong grass test for fillies and mares by a half-length.
Under Jorge Ruiz, Sparkle Blue set pedestrian fractions of :25.38, :52.11, and 1:17.44 over the firm ground and then repelled repeated challenges from behind to register the minor upset over 12-1 chance Aspen Grove. Fluffy Socks, the 6-5 favorite, finished a neck behind in third and was followed by Elusive Princess, Star Fortress, and Embrace Me.
Trained by Graham Motion for owners George Strawbridge and Catherine Parke, Sparkle Blue finished up in 1:52.62 and paid $15.40.
The Hillsborough was the fourth career stakes win for the five-year-old daughter of Hard Spun, who also captured the Valley View (G3) and Christiana S. in 2022 and the Big Dreyfus S. last term. Among her five stakes placings were the 2022 American Oaks (G1) and the Endeavour (G3) at Tampa last month.
Bred by Parke in Kentucky, the regally-bred mare was produced by the Smart Strike mare Silk n’ Sapphire, making her a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) heroine Shared Account and Grade 3 scorer Colonial Flag. Shared Account in turn has produced Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) winner Sharing.
Waskesiu, who had endured a tough-trip third in the Ginger Brew S. in early January, got a much better one en route to victory in the $155,000 Florida Oaks (G3).
Favored at 2.90-1 in the field of 11 three year-old fillies, Waskesiu avoided a wide journey that affected her in the Jan. 6 Gulfstream feature and rallied from fourth to win the Florida Oaks by one length under Junior Alvarado.
“We had a great trip today,” Alvarado said. “Last time she had a terrible trip and we gave up all shot to win that race, but today we had the trip. We saved ground on both turns and I tipped her out and she was very good at the end.”
A homebred racing for Chiefswood Stables and trained by Bill Mott, Waskesiu covered 1 1/16 miles on the turf in 1:42.04 and paid $7.80. Style Points edged 68-1 longshot Dancing N Dixie by a head for second.
A daughter of American Pharoah, Waskesiu has now won two of five starts, both wins coming on the grass. The Kentucky-bred was produced by the stakes-placed Finn’s Girl, by Bernardini.
Skippylongstocking successfully defended his title in the $100,00 Challenger (G3), scoring by 2 1/2 lengths under Tyler Gaffalione.
The 7-10 favorite in a field of six older horses, Skippylongstocking finished up 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:43.12 and paid $3.40. Sherlock’s Jewel edged Mbagnick, the longest shot on the board, for second by a neck.
Skippylongstocking, who races for Daniel Alonso and is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., has now won five graded stakes. In addition to his two victories in the Challenger, the five-year-old son of Exaggerator also claimed the West Virginia Derby (G3) and Harlan’s Holiday (G3) in 2022 and the Charles Town Classic (G2) last season.
A solid third behind Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in November, Skippylongstocking was rebounding off a non-effort in the Pegasus World Cup (G1), in which he was pulled up halfway through the race, reportedly after getting overheated.
“We had to go over him really good to make sure everything was proper and to be extra cautious,” Joseph said. “We covered every base. It was great today to see him come back and run a good race.”
Full Nelson registered his fourth win in a row with a 1 3/4-length tally in the $75,000 Columbia S., a 1 1/16-mile grass affair for three-year-olds under Samy Camacho.
Third choice in the field of nine, Full Nelson won by 1 3/4 lengths over Fulmineo, with Move to Gold third and 19-10 favorite In a Jam fourth. The final time was 1:35.42.
Owned by Gold Square, Joseph Hardoon, and trainer Jose D’Angelo, Full Nelson paid $9.80.
Now a winner in five of nine starts, the son of Lord Nelson commenced his current win streak in November in a starter optional claimer over the Tapeta at Gulfstream Park. He subsequently won a pair of optional claimers over the Tampa Bay turf when in for a $75,000 tag.
