Vertical Oak stands tallest in Skipat Stakes win

BALTIMORE – Trainer Steve Asmussen was a bit late to the winner’s circle, but good thing Vertical Oak wasn’t late to the wire. A perfect outside trip under Ricardo Santana Jr. helped get the filly home a clear-cut winner Friday in the 25th running of the $99,000 Skipat Stakes, the first of seven stakes on the Preakness Eve undercard at rain-drenched Pimlico Race Course.

Asmussen briefly held up the winner’s ceremony while waiting on friends and family after Vertical Oak drew off late in the six-furlong Skipat to finish in 1:10.35 over a sloppy track. It all worked out in the end, as everyone was all smiles when track photographer Jim McCue snapped his shutter for the traditional post-race picture.

“The draw was great for her, and so was the result,” said Asmussen.

Immediately prominent from her outside post in a field reduced to just five fillies and mares following three scratches, Vertical Oak dueled outside of Ms Locust Point to the top of the stretch, where she began asserting her superiority while racing well out onto the track. In the end, she prevailed by 1 1/2 lengths, with Startwithsilver rallying up the rail to get second by a half-length over Ms Locust Point.

“She did everything right and responded when I asked her,” said Santana, who rides frequently for Asmussen.

Vertical Oak, owned by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, returned $4.60 for her sixth victory from 15 starts. She was the second choice by a mere $357 behind Ms Locust Point.

This was the fourth stakes victory – and the second in as many starts at Pimlico – for Vertical Oak, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred chestnut by Giant Oak. Two of those triumphs came in graded events: the Grade 3 Miss Preakness here last year and the Grade 2 Prioress last September over a sloppy track at Saratoga. She has earned $521,700.

“She won the Miss Preakness here last year, and this was the target,” said Asmussen. “We hope she has a very good year. And now she'll likely head to New York.”

The $2 exacta (8-3) paid $14.80, the $1 trifecta (8-3-4) returned $9.30, and the 10-cent superfecta (8-3-4-2) was worth $2.12.