Sky Mom finds good spot for first win of season

Sky Mom looks to return to her old form Saturday at Presque Isle Downs when she faces 11 fillies and mares in the $100,000 Windward.

Trainer Al Stall is confident that will happen in the one-mile Windward, which will be held over Presque Isle's Tapeta surface.

"She is kind of finicky about the kind of track she runs on," he said. "She has been training at Keeneland and loves the Polytrack there. I am sure she will like the surface at Presque Isle."

Sky Mom has yet to win this year, but won 3 of 9 starts last year as a 3-year-old and earned over $303,000. Her victories came in the Martha Washington at Oaklawn Park, the WinStar Oaks at Sunland Park, and the Grade 3 Arlington Park Oaks.

Two starts ago, the daughter of Maria's Mon finished fifth to Euphony - who has now won six stakes in a row - in the Grade 3 Matron at Arlington Park. She had trouble in that race and was disqualified to eighth for interference. In her last out June 16, Sky Mom ran third in the $75,000 Golden Sylvia at Mountaineer Park when sent off as the odds-on favorite under jockey Mario Pino.

"She came out of the 1 hole and was pinned down inside," Stall said. "The track was wet and she just didn't run her race. Mario had to keep after her the whole race and that is not the way she usually runs."

Stall believes things have come together for Sky Mom.

"She has been training with life and couldn't be doing any better," he said "She likes to run on the outside and there seems to be plenty of speed for her to lay off. She should just fall to the outside and then pick them off in the stretch."

Pino retains the mount.

Graham Motion sends out two fillies who are coming off impressive wins. Both won June 13 and both races were scheduled for the grass but transferred to the main track. Cherokee Queen led every step in the Possibly Perfect at Arlington Park, winning by 5 1/2 lengths. No Use Denying won the John W. Rooney Memorial at Delaware by 10 lengths.