Daniel Alonso’s Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator – Twinkling, by War Chant) finally added a top-level victory to his accomplished resume when the hard-knocking 7-year-old captured the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25 in his unprecedented fourth try in the race, leading the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates.
(Jeff Zamaiko photo)
In taking the 1 1/8-mile stakes for 4-year-olds and up, Skippylongstocking defeated the 2025 Pegasus World Cup winner and fellow Saffie Joseph Jr. trainee and OBS grad White Abarrio by 1 ¾ lengths. The veteran runner also earned a fees paid entry into the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) Oct. 31 at Keeneland.
“It just means everything. He’s an amazing horse, and he deserves it,” Alonso told Gulfstream Park publicity. “Watching the races today we knew it was going to be tough coming from that far back, but he just found another gear today that we hadn’t seen before. To beat a champion like White Abarrio, it’s amazing.”
The Pegasus gave Skippylongstocking his 13th win from 36 career starts and improved his bankroll to $5,461,250. He was purchased by Alonso for $37,000 out of the Top Line Sales consignment at the 2021 OBS April Sale after breezing an eighth in :10 2/5.
The Pegasus World Cup card also saw Steve Landers Racing LLC’s Destino d’Oro (Bolt d’Oro- Heart of Destiny, by Lion Heart) capture the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational (G2).
Trained by Brad Cox, the 4-year-old filly previously won the Pucker Up (G3) at Ellis Park in August and has now improved her career earnings to more than $830,000. She was purchased by her owner for $185,000 at the 2024 OBS April Sale from the consignment of CM Thoroughbreds after breezing in :10 flat.