2025.07.31 Oaklawn Racing Updates

Racing Updates
Compiled by Robert Yates

Thursday, July 31, 2025

The accomplished Skippylongstocking is one of three Oaklawn-raced horses entered in the prestigious $1 million G1-Whitney Stakes for older horses at 1 1/8 miles Saturday at Saratoga.

Probable post time for the Whitney, the 11th of 13 races, is 4:41 p.m. CDT. The Whitney is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” for the $7 million G1-Classic Nov. 1 at Del Mar.

Skippylongstocking has bankrolled $3,661,610 in his 32-race career, but none of his 11 victories to date, including nine stakes, has been in Grade 1 company.

Skippylongstocking is 0 for 10 in Grade 1 events, including a third in the $1 million Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs and a fifth in the Whitney. Those races, both in the summer of 2024, were Skippylongstocking’s first two starts after a two-length victory that spring in Oaklawn’s $1.25 million G2-Oaklawn Handicap.

After finishing third in this year’s Oaklawn Handicap, Skippylongstocking rebounded to win his last start, the $200,000 G2-Hollywood Gold Cup May 26 at Santa Anita.

Skippylongstocking (10-1 on the morning line) drew post 2 for the Whitney and will be reunited with jockey Jose Ortiz, who rode the now-6-year-old son of Exaggerator to his Oaklawn Handicap victory.

The Whitney drew 10 entrants, including 2024 Oaklawn Handicap runner-up Highland Falls (8-1) and Disarm (15-1), who ran fourth in this year’s edition after winning a March 14 allowance race at Oaklawn.

Finish Lines

Favored My Mane Squeeze ($4.30) was a front-running 6 ¼-length winner of the $150,000 Johnstone Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares Wednesday at Saratoga. My Mane Squeeze, a millionaire, finished eighth as the 2-1 favorite in the $750,000 G2-Fantasy Stakes in 2024 at Oaklawn. Thorpedo Anna, the 5-2 second choice, won the Fantasy by four lengths enroute to Horse of the Year honors. Oaklawn has raised the purse of the 2026 Fantasy to $1 million. … Favored Sunset Sizzle ($5.70) broke her maiden in Wednesday’s third race at Saratoga to give trainer Lindsay Schultz, an Oaklawn regular, her first career victory at the historic upstate New York venue. Schultz has 103 career victories, including 32 at Oaklawn. … Oaklawn stakes winner Clever Again is scheduled to make his turf debut in the $400,000 G2-National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes Friday at Saratoga. … Saturday at Saratoga, Oaklawn-raced Tiztastic is entered in the $750,000 G1-Saratoga Derby Invitational at 1 3/16-miles on the turf and Oaklawn-raced Lagynos is entered in the one-mile $750,000 G1-Fourstardave for older runners. Oaklawn-raced Look Forward is entered in Saturday’s $500,000 G1-Test Stakes, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies, at Saratoga. … Oaklawn allowance winner Royal Spa is entered in the 8 ½-furlong $400,000 G1-Clement L. Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares Saturday at Del Mar. … Oaklawn-raced Brereton’s Baytown is entered in Mountaineer’s $400,000 G3-West Virginia Derby Sunday. … Oaklawn stakes winner The Wine Steward and Oaklawn winners Jokestar, Hit Show and Heroic Move are entered in the $200,000 West Virginia Governor’s Stakes Sunday at Mountaineer. … Oaklawn-raced She’s Lookin Lucky is entered in the $250,000 Ladies Turf Mile Stakes Sunday at Ellis Park. … Champion and multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Smarty Jones will be inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame Friday in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Smarty Jones was named the country’s champion 3-year-old male of 2004 after winning six of seven starts, including Oaklawn’s Southwest Stakes, Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby and the first two legs of the Triple Crown – Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Smarty Jones collected Oaklawn’s $5 million “Centennial Bonus” for winning the Rebel, Arkansas Derby and Kentucky Derby. Oaklawn celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004.