Remington: Skip a Smile comes through tight quarters to take DeBartolo

Skip a Smile won his second stakes of the young Remington Park meet on Friday night, when he powered up the rail in the $100,000 DeBartolo Memorial Handicap. The win came on the heels of his score in last month’s $100,000 Governor’s Cup. Skip a Smile on Friday night won by a neck over Dakota Gypsy. It was another length and a quarter back to Schramsberg in third.

Skip a Smile ($8.40) was content to let the pace go in the DeBartolo, a mile and an eighth race run on firm turf. Beachcombing and Schramsberg moved to the lead soon after the start, and dueled through fractions of 24.39 for the opening quarter and 48.35 for the first half-mile. Skip a Smile trailed into the final turn, advanced when there became room along the inside, then brushed the temporary rail in the stretch as his rivals came over on him. He was, however, undeterred by the tight quarters.

“I had enough horse, and my horse just pushed through,” said Luis Quinonez, who rode Skip a Smile for trainer Steve Asmussen.

Skip a Smile was up in time, covering the distance in 1:48.86. The DeBartolo was the third straight stakes win for Skip a Smile, who began his streak in the $75,000 Assault at Lone Star Park in July.

The win Friday night was Quinonez’s fourth in the DeBartolo, behind scores in 1997, 2008, and 2009.

Skip a Smile races for his breeder, Rose Mary Chandler. He has now won 6 of 15 starts and $281,200.