Monmouth: Christmas for Liam should be up front in Skip Away

Christmas for Liam will be tough to catch if speed is holding on the main track Monday at Monmouth Park.

The 4-year-old Christmas for Liam figures to be on, or just off, the pace in the supporting event, the $75,000 Skip Away Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.

He used those tactics to cruise to consecutive allowance wins at Gulfstream. They didn’t work as well last time when pushed into a blistering pace by Haynesfield in the Grade 3 Westchester Stakes at Belmont.

Joe Bravo will ride Christmas for Liam for the first time since the colt’s debut last year and will look to ration his speed for trainer Todd Pletcher.

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