Skylander Girl targets Whimsical Stakes

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Trainer Alexander Patykewich finished the 2014 Woodbine season with just one horse in his barn but now returns from the Gulfstream Park meet with three after a productive winter from stable star Skylander Girl.

Skylander Girl made three starts at Gulfstream during the winter, highlighted by a runner-up effort to Singapore Cup winner Parranda in the Grade 3 Marshua’s River Stakes on Jan. 10. Skylander Girl is now at Woodbine preparing for the Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes here April 18.

Despite having run Skylander Girl in three two-turn races on grass over the winter, Patykewich said he isn’t concerned with the cutback to six furlongs for the Whimsical.

“She’s competitive at all distances,” he said. “She’s going to work back another five-eighths [Saturday]. She’ll probably be going 58 or 59 [seconds] in there just to put a little bit of speed back into her.”

Patykewich said Skylander Girl pulled an upper suspensory in her last start at Gulfstream in the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes on Feb. 7.

“She got hurt a little bit in her last start, but everything is good now,” he said. “She’s in perfect condition.”

Skylander Girl earned $31,000 in her three starts at Gulfstream, which allowed Patykewich to claim the 3-year-old fillies Saveaplaceforme and Golden Emily.

“That’s the reason I went down there,” Patykewich said. “I said I was going to take [Skylander Girl] down there and claim a couple and spend the winter down there. It was very good. The results speak for themselves and paid for all of my expenses.”