Skippylongstocking sets track record in Challenger three-peat; Saffron Moon adds Hillsborough

While the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) was Saturday’s main event, Festival Day 45 also included four supporting stakes. Skippylongstocking kicked off the graded action at Tampa Bay Downs by turning a three-peat in the $95,000 Challenger (G3) in track-record time.

Saffron Moon took the $200,000 Hillsborough (G2) to complete a turf stakes double for trainer Chad Brown and jockey Flavien Prat, who earlier teamed up with Zulu Kingdom in the $100,000 Columbia S. In the $150,000 Florida Oaks (G3), Nitrogen got up in time to make it a clean sweep for favorites in the undercard stakes.

Challenger (G3)

For the third straight year, Daniel Alonso’s Skippylongstocking found this a congenial spot to rebound from a loss in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) at Gulfstream Park. The difference this time was that the Saffie Joseph Jr. veteran was coming off his best performance in the Pegasus so far, a third-place effort behind White Abarrio and Locked. The six-year-old duly carried that form forward here as the 3-5 favorite, despite a suboptimal lunging start.

The field was reduced by half following four scratches, notably projected pace factors Patriot Spirit, Bendoog, and O Captain. As a result, the speedy Most Wanted, the 1.10-1 second choice, had no difficulty in establishing the early lead.

Skippylongstocking swiftly recovered to attend Most Wanted through splits of :23.89, :47.64, and 1:11.24. By that point, they left their only two rivals, Instant Coffee and El Principito, well behind.

When Skippylongstocking veered a bit wide turning for home, Most Wanted tried to capitalize, but the two-time defending champion had too much firepower in the stretch. The son of Exaggerator hunted down Most Wanted and edged 1 1/4 lengths clear beneath Tyler Gaffalione.

By finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.20, Skippylongstocking eclipsed the former track (and stakes) record of 1:41.75 set by Stanford in the 2017 Challenger.

There was a 14 3/4-length chasm back to Instant Coffee in third, and El Principito rounded out the quartet. Life Is Precious was the other scratch.

Skippylongstocking’s eighth stakes victory boosted his bankroll to $3,425,985 from his 30-10-3-6 line. The hero of the past two runnings of the Charles Town Classic (G2), the bay has also captured the 2022 West Virginia Derby (G3) and Harlan’s Holiday (G3) as well as the 2024 Oaklawn H. (G2). His seven stakes placings include the 2022 Belmont (G1), 2023 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), and 2024 Stephen Foster (G1).

Hillsborough (G2)

CHP Racing’s Saffron Moon ranked as the 1.10-1 favorite in the wake of her comeback victory in the Feb. 1 Endeavour (G3) over the course. The Malibu Moon mare was reserved just off the modest tempo set by Avenue Niel. So steady was the pace that after the half in :48.95 on the firm course, Eternal Silence launched a bold move down the backstretch to take over and reached the six-furlong mark in 1:12.70. But Eternal Silence’s gambit ultimately didn’t pay off as she couldn’t sustain her momentum past midstretch.

Saffron Moon got the split and quickened for Prat. Gimme a Nother, the hitherto undefeated South African star making her U.S. debut, followed the winner through and attempted to close the gap. But Saffron Moon held her safe by three-quarters of a length, finishing 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.58.

Venencia closed to snatch third from Eternal Silence. Next came defending champion Sparkle Blue, Spaliday, Damaso, Victoria’s Dancer, and Avenue Niel. She’s Fire was withdrawn.

Saffron Moon has compiled a resume of 11-5-2-1, $459,625, during a stop-start career. The dark bay was best of the rest behind the freakish Star Fortress in the 2023 Cardinal (G3) at Churchill Downs, her only prior stakes appearance until resurfacing this winter at Tampa.

Florida Oaks (G3)

D. J. Stable’s homebred Nitrogen brought gilt-edged form as the third-placer in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) who’d since won the Ginger Brew S. But the 3-2 favorite left it late with Jose Ortoz, just getting up to deny pacesetter Lush Lips by a half-length. The Mark Casse pupil negotiated 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.42.

Lush Lips almost nicked it after controlling proceedings in :23.15, :47.15, and 1:10.61. The runner-up crossed the wire four lengths clear of Deloraine in third. Opulent Restraint tracked early but tired to fourth, followed by Love You Anyway, Smart Union, Miss Rummikub, Pretty Lavish, Smudge, Celtic Motif, and Brillante. Miavana was scratched.

Nitrogen’s scorecard stands at 5-2-1-2, $315,554, including a close third in last fall’s Natalma (G1).The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro is bred along similar lines to Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna, being out of the Uncle Mo mare Tiffany Case.

Columbia S.

Zulu Kingdom, last seen sustaining his first career loss when seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), regained the winning habit in the Columbia S.

Trained by Brown and ridden by Prat, the 8-5 favorite raced rather keenly as he prompted longshot Peace Cloud through strong fractions of :23.18 and :46.16. Zulu Kingdom put his head in front passing six furlongs in 1:09.19 and appeared poised to put the race away. But Reagan’s Wit rallied to make it close, forcing the favorite to find extra to fend him off.

Zulu Kingdom responded to prevail by a neck in 1:33.24 for the grassy mile, within hailing distance of Equitize’s course record of 1:32.91. Reagan’s Wit had 3 3/4 lengths to spare over French import Revolutionnaire, who nipped Brown’s other entrant, Early Adopter, for third. Pace-chasing Dream On faded to fifth, and Peace Cloud retreated to last, underscoring the merit of Zulu Kingdom’s win.

Campaigned by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, William Strauss, and Michael J. Caruso, Zulu Kingdom now sports a mark of 5-4-0-0, $292,558. The Ten Sovereigns ridgling was acquired after his debut score in France for Andre Fabre, and he paid dividends by landing the With Anticipation (G3) and Pilgrim (G2) in his first two outings stateside.