Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. was more than happy Jan. 25 to report that Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking and C2 Racing Stable, Gary Barber, and La Milagrosa Stable's White Abarrio had exited the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park in good order, while taking time to express his personal admiration for the efforts of the two 7-year-old warriors.
READ: Fourth Time's a Charm for Skippylongstocking in Pegasus
"(Skippylongstocking) ran fast enough at times to win one, but he never did it. People were always knocking, knocking him, saying he's not a grade 1, not a grade 1, and look, he showed up," Joseph said. "He did it in a race that a lot of great horses have won."
Four-time grade 1 winner White Abarrio brought by far the most enviable resume into the Pegasus World Cup, but he would go to post for his title defense no better than third choice at 3-1 due to a lack of racing activity since a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Aug. 25 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, mainly due to a controversial scratching by attending veterinarians at Del Mar just minutes before the start of the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1).
"Obviously, there was a lot of pressure running Abarrio after being scratched from the Breeders' Cup. You're overthinking everything—that's not the way you want to train a horse. You have to train with confidence, but we couldn't be confident because of the lack of preparation," Joseph said. "I didn't know how he would run. Going into the race, there was no confidence. To do what he did (Saturday) was special."
Joseph said no decisions have been made on what's next for Skippylongstocking and White Abarrio.
"Nothing's signed yet. Just talking it over briefly, something like the Oaklawn Handicap comes into play for one of them," Joseph said. "And also the Dubai World Cup, but nothing's really been decided yet. We're going to sleep on it and then decide."
The Oaklawn Handicap (G2) will be run at Oaklawn Park April 18. The Dubai World Cup (G1) is scheduled for March 28 at Meydan Racecourse.
Test Score, One Stripe 'Really Good' After Pegasus Turf
Graham Motion-trained stablemates Test Score and One Stripe were in good order Sunday following their one-two finish in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1T), separated by a neck.
"Everybody looks really good," Motion said. "One Stripe's a little irritated about being beaten, I think, but they both seem really good."
Amerman Racing's 4-year-old homebred Test Score and jockey Manny Franco split horses in the stretch and held off One Stripe's dramatic late run to earn his second career grade 1 victory and push his bankroll over $2 million.
READ: Motion's Test Score, One Stripe Go 1-2 in Pegasus Turf
"I've rewatched it a lot," Motion said. "It was hard to watch at the time. I kind of focused on One Stripe at the top of the stretch and I didn't realize that the horse he was going to nail if he got there was Test Score. It was a little bit surreal."
Hollywood Racing and Rikesh Sewgoolam's 5-year-old One Stripe, a two-time group 1 winner South Africa under regular South African rider Gavin Lerena, found himself well out in the center of the turf course when they uncorked a furious late surge.
"Around the three-eighths pole Gavin said (One Stripe) got a little tight and got a little intimidated there and it took him a little while to get going. Once he straightened away it took him a while to kind of switch leads and run on, which I think is why he ended up so far out on the track. But what a brave race he ran," Motion said.
"Both jocks were great. I think the difference was the trip Manny had. It was just a perfect trip," he added. "Test Score is just so resilient. He always just tries so hard. He's such a tough horse. He's a kind, kind horse in the morning but he's such a competitor."
Motion is still formulating plans for both horses, but said Test Score will get some time off after racing nine times at seven different tracks in 11 months including eight starts as a 3-year-old and could point for the $1 million Turf Classic (G1T) going 1 1/8 miles May 2 on the Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard.
"It's the right distance for him, it's a big purse, and the timing would be good," Motion said."
One Stripe, meanwhile, could wind up in a race like the 1 1/4-mile Arlington Million (G1T) run in August at Colonial Downs.
"I really think a mile-and-a-quarter is going to be in his scope. I think that's the kind of race I'd like to point for this summer, but I haven't really thought about his next start," Motion said. "I really didn't think beyond the day for either one of them, but I'm not going to be in a hurry to run them back. One Stripe has had two pretty strong runs down here so I'm not going to be looking to run him back real quick.
"I've had an extraordinary amount of people reach out. I guess being on national television makes a difference, but it's very rewarding," he added. "I'm so pleased for the South African crew. They had faith in this horse and it kind of showed to be justified that he's this kind of horse. And I couldn't be prouder of Test Score. We've been really lucky with this horse and Trikari. I'm so fortunate to have some of these nice horses for Mr. Amerman."
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
