Arnold hopes for consecutive Spinster victories with Skeptic
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Five trainers have won the Juddmonte Spinster (Grade 1) in consecutive years, and Rusty Arnold hopes to join the club next Sunday when he sends out
Skeptic in Keeneland’s marquee Fall Meet race for fillies and mares on the main track.
Owned by G. Watts Humphrey Jr. and Ashbrook Farm, Skeptic tuned up for the $500,000 Juddmonte Spinster with a half-mile breeze in :48.60 Sunday morning after
the renovation break over a fast track.
Romantic Vision gave Arnold his second victory in the Juddmonte Spinster in 2017 when she splashed home to a two-length victory in the mud.
“She (Romantic Vision) got good for a short period of time and she loved the mud,” Arnold said. “This filly (Skeptic) has so much talent. Can she beat older horses? Probably not, but I am taking a shot here.”
Arnold had considered running Skeptic in the Cotillion (G1) at Parx on Sept. 22 or Sunday in the Remington Park Oaks (G3) at Remington Park. He chose the Juddmonte Spinster, adding, “The top New York fillies generally don’t come because it is too close to the Breeders’ Cup.”
Skeptic won the Monmouth Oaks (G3) in her most recent start Aug. 18 and prior to that was fourth in the Indiana Oaks (G3) in her stakes debut. Both races were 1 1/16 miles; the Juddmonte Spinster is 1 1/8 miles.
“She was not mentally ready for it at Indiana,” Arnold said. “It was night racing and there was a big crowd. I hope with the mile and an eighth we can make up ground on Talk Veuve to Me (who won the race by 4 ¾ lengths with Skeptic finishing 11 ½ lengths back).”
Following the Indiana Oaks on July 14, Skeptic went to Saratoga.
“She did great up there and she has had six good weeks since Monmouth,” Arnold said.
Skeptic could top off a big weekend for Arnold, who plans to have entrants in two other stakes on Fall Stars Weekend. Preston Madden’s Borracho is slated to start in Saturday’s $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1), and G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s Awestruck
Borracho broke his maiden in his most recent start on Sept. 15 at Churchill Downs going a one-turn mile. The Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity is a two-turn, 1 1/16-mile race.
“Two turns: That is what he wants,” Arnold said of the son of Uncle Mo, who worked a half-mile in :49 Sunday morning. “I think that will improve him.”
Awestruck, who worked a half-mile in :49.60 on Saturday, is cutting back in distance for the six-furlong TCA.
“I maybe made a mistake with her,” Arnold said. “In my mind, I thought she would go long being a Tapit out of a Tiznow mare. Her best races have been one turn and seven furlongs. I wish this race was seven furlongs.”
Also working Sunday morning for Arnold was Morticia
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