Sparkle Blue will likely target Modesty Stakes next

OLDSMAR, Fla. - Lucrative pots in Kentucky await many of the undercard stakes winners from Saturday’s Tampa Bay Derby program, it’s just a matter of choosing whether to run at Keeneland, Churchill Downs or both.

Sparkle Blue, the front-running, half-length winner of Saturday’s Grade 2 Hillsborough Stakes, is likely to make her next start in the Grade 3, $400,000 Modesty Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 3, trainer Graham Motion said.

Motion said he prefers the 1 1/8-mile distance of the Modesty over one-mile races like the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland on April 13 or the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile at Churchill on May 4.

“I think this is probably what she ultimately wants to do,” Motion said of the nine furlongs.

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Sparkle Blue is a half-sister to Shared Account, the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner, who was bred by Catherine Parke. Parke is part-owner of Sparkle Blue - along with George Strawbridge’s Augustin Stable - and was in attendance at Tampa on Saturday.

“It’s so cool that Catherine was here,” Motion said.

Waskesiu, the one-length winner of the Grade 3 Florida Oaks, has options in Kentucky as well in either the Grade 2, $400,000 Appalachian going one mile at Keeneland on April 6 and/or the Grade 2, $600,000 Edgewood at Churchill on May 3.

Trainer Bill Mott said he hadn’t planned much past the Florida Oaks.

“We were focused on winning a stakes, it’s a nice stakes, it’s a graded stakes,” Mott said. “We got the first one out of the way.”

Full Nelson, winner of the $75,000 Columbia Stakes, will point to either the $125,000 Cutler Bay on March 30 or the Grade 3, $400,000 Transylvania at Keeneland on April 5, trainer Jose Francisco D’Angelo said Sunday.

Skippylongstocking, winner of the Grade 3 Challenger Stakes for a second consecutive year, is targeting the Grade 2, $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap at Oaklawn park on April 20, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said after the race.

Sterling Silver, who got up in the final strides to win the $50,000 Manatee, an overnight handicap, is targeting the Grade 1, $600,000 Madison at Keeneland on April 6, trainer Tom Albertrani said.

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