Geaux Rocket Ride, Skinner battle after disappointing scratches
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The last time Geaux Rocket Ride and Skinner met they were second and third in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 4 at Santa Anita, performances that rightfully left high hopes for the spring.
Geaux Rocket Ride and Skinner never made it to the Kentucky Derby because of illnesses. Instead, the focus is on summer campaigns, beginning with Sunday’s Affirmed Stakes at 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita.
If they run as expected on Sunday, Geaux Rocket Ride and Skinner could be part of the national scene in major stakes for 3-year-olds in coming months.
“If he proves he’s good enough, we’ll shoot for one of the big ones,” said John Shirreffs, who trains Skinner for Lee and Susan Searing.
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Skinner followed his loss in the San Felipe with a third-place finish by a half-length to Practical Move in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 8. After several defections occurred from the list of candidates for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 6, Skinner joined the field, only to be withdrawn the day before the race because of a reported elevated temperature.
Skinner resumed workouts at Santa Anita in mid-May and has had three workouts in advance of the $100,000 Affirmed Stakes.
Geaux Rocket Ride never made it to the Santa Anita Derby. He was withdrawn on race morning with an elevated temperature, ending any hopes for a Kentucky Derby appearance.
Trained by Richard Mandella, for Jim and Dana Bernhard, Geaux Rocket Ride resumed workouts on May 1 and has had four works in advance of the Affirmed.
“I think he’s as fit as he can be,” Mandella said. “He should run a good race. There are others in there that show a lot, too.”
Geaux Rocket Ride and Skinner are part of a field of six in the Affirmed. Hard to Figure, winner of the restricted Capote Stakes at Los Alamitos last September, is the only stakes winner in the field.
Hard to Figure, supplemented to the Affirmed for $2,000 when entries were taken Thursday, was a well-beaten fourth after a wide trip in the Lazaro Barrera Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs on May 6.
Hard to Figure is one of two runners in the field trained by Bob Baffert, who starts Mr. Fisk, unraced since a sixth-place finish in the San Felipe.
The Affirmed is the 3-year-old stakes debut for Ze’bul, who was a fast-closing fourth in an allowance race at six furlongs on turf on May 6, in his first start since a sixth-place finish in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile on turf at Del Mar in December.
Geaux Rocket Ride, who will be ridden for the first time by Ramon Vazquez, drew the outside post and is likely to race from a forward position, possibly tracking Del Mar Jerry, winner of a maiden race at six furlongs in his debut on May 5.
“I would like to see him set a little off of it,” Mandella said. “He’s a little fresh, he’s lightly raced, and he’s quick. It will depend on how he comes out of there.”
Skinner will be helped if a rapid pace develops. He runs from off the pace, a late rally that led to a maiden race win at a mile in his 3-year-old debut on Feb. 12.
“He relaxes and lengthens and lengthens his stride as he goes,” Shirreffs said. “He comes from so far out of it.”
Whether such a kick can be effective in a leading stakes for 3-year-olds may be known later this summer.
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