Sr. Quisqueyano Possible for Skip Away

Multiple stakes-winning Florida-bred Sr. Quisqueyano is under consideration for the $150,000 Skip Away (G3), one of seven stakes on the undercard of the $1 million Besilu Stables Florida Derby (G1) on March 28 at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer Peter Walder said the 5-year-old son of Exclusive Quality continues to do well following his ninth-place finish in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) March 7 in California – his 30th career start but first outside his native state.

“He came back really good,” Walder said. “Considering it’s the first time he ever shipped out of Florida, he handled it like a champion. First time on an airplane, first time at a new track – he handled it all really well. If you would have shipped somewhere on a van for some race, that would be one thing. But when you fly it doesn’t take anything out of you. We’re actually looking at running him back in the Skip Away.”

Sr. Quisqueyano was third in last year’s Skip Away for older horses, run at 1 3/16 miles on the main track. Prior to the Santa Anita Handicap, he upset the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at odds of 20-1 under jockey Edgard Zayas on Jan. 17 in his first start for Walder.

“Pretty much I’m looking to do the same thing with him as I did for the Sunshine Millions, just back off and play with him. He’s fit,” Walder said. “It’s our last chance to run for big money and I don’t think the race is going to come up too tough. There were a couple other options but it’s the home track and I really think Edgard suits him well. Timing-wise he seemed to run well off three weeks before so why not try and do it again.”

Sr. Quisqueyano was claimed for $62,500 by Ron Paolucci’s Loooch Racing Stables out of a runner-up finish to Race Day in a one-mile optional claiming allowance Dec. 21 at Gulfstream. Race Day won the Razorback Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.

In the 1 ¼-mile Santa Anita Handicap, Sr. Quisqueyano wound up chasing Grade 1-winning pacesetter Moreno under jockey Joe Talamo through six furlongs before dropping back and finishing 13 lengths behind impressive winner Shared Belief.

“I don’t have delusions of grandeur,” Walder said. “I didn’t like the trip we got. No fault to the jockey; I just really thought that Dynamic Sky and Crimson Giant would have gone with Moreno and we wouldn’t have to be sitting so close. I didn’t really want to be that close and I didn’t really want to be on the inside. All that being said, even with the trip that I wanted he probably would have been fourth. Fourth would have been a whole lot better than ninth, but I had a great experience out there. Everybody treated us great and it’s a beautiful racetrack, but there’s no place like home. I love it here and the horse likes it here, too.”

Source: Gulfstream Park Barn Notes