Daniel Alonso’s Grade 1 winner Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator – Twinkling, by War Chant) made short work of his overmatched rivals when he cruised to a 5 ¼-length victory in the $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park March 21, leading the slate of stakes-winning OBS graduates.
(Coady Media)
The victory marked the 12th career graded triumph for Skippylongstocking and increased his overall earnings to $5,746,250 after winning for the 14th time in 37 starts. The 7-year-old son of Exaggerator has won his last three starts, including the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. Skippylongstocking’s winning time was 1:48.82, the quickest since the Essex was extended from 1 1/16 to 1 1/8 miles in 2024.
“Obviously before the race, you’re the favorite” Joseph told Oaklawn Park publicity. “There’s a lot of pressure and you’re thinking all different variables, but it worked out great. He was very impressive once again.”
Skippylongstocking 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.
Paradise Farms Corp.’s Willy D’s (Lookin At Lucky-Boston Mine, by Mineshaft) out finished defending winner Mercante to capture the $295,000 Kentucky Cup Classic (G3) at Turfway Park March 21 and earn his first graded stakes win.
Trained by Mike Maker, Willy D’s boosted his earnings $757,008. The six-time winner was purchased for $60,000 by Greg Compton, agent for Danny W. Brown at the 2023 OBS April Sale from the Woodside Ranch consignment after breezing in :22 1/5.
At Fair Grounds on March 21, Twin Oaks Bloodstock’s Way to Be Marie (Not This Time –Woman of the World, by Henrythenavigator) successfully defended her title in the $150,000 Tom Benson Memorial, part of the undercard stakes on Louisiana Derby Day.
Way to Be Marie was making her first start for trainer Eddie Kenneally and rallied down the center of the stretch to capture the Tom Benson Memorial for the second straight year. She was purchased by Madaket Stables for $95,000 out of the 2023 OBS April sale from the GOP Racing Stable consignment after breezing in :21 1/5.
The Louisiana Derby undercard also saw Keith Plaisance’s Nine Part (Leofric – Alva, by Into Mischief) earn his first stakes victory in just his second turf start in the $100,000 Costa Rising.
Trained by Bobby Felks, Nine Part prevailed by one length to earn his sixth win from seven career starts. He was purchased by Nick Hines, agent for Plaisance, for $46,000 at the 2023 OBS June Sale from the Grassroots Training and Sales consignment after breezing in :10 1/5.
At Laurel Park March 21, Miss Fulton Gal (Rock Your World-Leah Forestiere, by Not This Time) managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in Saturday’s $100,000 Beyond the Wire Stakes when she scored by a head.
Miss Fulton Gal is trained by Michael Gorham and is a two-time OBS graduate, having sold for $5,000 as a yearling at the 2024 OBS October Sale out of the Afleet Equine Services consignment before being purchased $35,000 at the 2025 OBS June Sale by jockey Vincent “Jimbo” Bracciale on behalf of co-owners Trott Racing Stables and Five Sisters Farm, who campaign her with John Polizos, out of the Blue Sapphire Stables consignment after breezing in :21 3/5.
At Turfway Park March 21, Highlander Training Center’s Stylish Sue (Nyquist-Maria Maria, by Curlin) went straight to the front and was never headed en route to the victory in the $248,000 Latonia Stakes.
Trained by Joe Sharp, Stylish Sue was offered by Clary Bloodstock at the 2023 OBS March Sale where she failed to meet her reserve after breezing in :10 3/5.
The Gulfstream Park card on March 22 saw Amy Dunne, Caitlin Dunne, Brenda Miley, Jean Wilkinson, Hoffman Family Racing, Tranquility Lake Farm, Maury Harrington and Christopher Harrington’s Lennilu (Leinster – Lulu’s Pom Pom, by Pomeroy) kick off her season with a victory over fellow OBS grad Mystical Belle in the $125,000 Leinster Melody of Colors.
Trained by Patrick Biancone, Lennilu earned her fifth win from seven career starts and fourth in a stakes. She was purchased by Glencrest Farm for $23,000 from the Abbie Road Farm consignment at the 2024 OBS Winter Mixed Sale.
At Fair Grounds on March 22, Blue Fire (Aurelius Maximus – Mystic Blue, by Maimonides) sped to the lead and held off fellow OBS grad Margie’s Intention in the four-horse field to win the $100,000 Shantel Lanerie Memorial
Owned by Stonestreet Stables and Peter Leidel and trained by Steve Asmussen, Blue Fire was purchased for $32,000 by Fast Horses out of the 2023 OBS Winter Mixed Sale from the Kaizen Sales consignment.