My Boy Tate staying home for Hollie Hughes Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Michelle Nevin said she thought about running My Boy Tate in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 General George Handicap at Laurel Park, but ultimately decided to keep the New York-bred gelding home and point to Monday’s $100,000 Hollie Hughes Stakes for statebreds.

My Boy Tate has strung together four consecutive victories – all in statebred company – including a three-length score in the Say Florida Sandy Stakes here last month. Last Saturday, My Boy Tate breezed five furlongs in 1:01.77 over the Belmont training track.

“He’s done well, I’m very happy with him,” Nevin said.

Meanwhile, Nevin’s Kentucky-bred 4-year-old gelding Skyler’s Scramjet won his second consecutive race, taking a third-level allowance race by one length over a sealed muddy track Saturday. Having gone through his conditions, Skyler’s Scramjet may go next in the Grade 3, $250,000 Tom Fool Handicap here March 10, Nevin said.

Skyler’s Scramjet has won three of his last four starts, with his lone loss in that time frame being a fifth-place finish in an allowance race under Manny Franco here Nov. 26.

“Right out of the gates he got squished and Manny had no choice but to take hold of him, and I think that got the horse disoriented,” Nevin said.

In his last two victories, both with Dylan Davis aboard, Skyler’s Scramjet has sat off horses early in the race.

“The older he’s getting the more settled he’s getting, so maybe that’s what he was looking to do all along,” Nevin said.