Skippylongstocking is aiming for Stephen Foster after work

Skippylongstocking, who captured the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap in his most recent start, breezed a half mile at Palm Meadows Friday morning and will now be pointed toward the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Stakes on June 29 at Churchill Downs. He was also under consideration for the Suburban Handicap (G2) on June 8 at Saratoga.

“We’re going to the Stephen Foster,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said Friday afternoon at Gulfstream. “We were considering the Suburban, but he’s doing so well, we’d like to go for a Grade 1 while we can.”

Daniel Alonso’s multiple graded-stakes winner was timed at 48.30 seconds, the fifth fastest clocking of 33 recorded at the distance at Gulfstream Park’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, Fla.

Skippylongstocking has earned more than $2.2 million while winning eight of 23 starts. After winning the $1 million Charles Town Classic (G2) and finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last year, he was pulled up and did not finish the Jan. 27 Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream after chasing the early pace while racing wide.

After a thorough examination revealed no physical issues, Skippylongstocking came back to win the March 9 Challenger (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs and register an impressive two-length score April 20 in Oaklawn’s top event for older horses.