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Photo by: Hollywood Park |
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Trainer |
Jane Chapple-Hyam |
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Jockey |
John Egan |
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Owner |
Michael H. Watt |
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Breeder |
Liberation Farm & Oratis Thoroughbreds (Ky) |
Recent Race History
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Date |
Race |
Finish |
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06.12.08 |
Lord Weinstock Memorial @ Newbury (Eng) |
3rd |
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05.21.08 |
Height of Fashion @ Goodwood |
2nd |
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04.19.08 |
Dubai Duty Free (GIII) @ Newbury (Eng) |
8th |
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Starter Analysis |
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With her running style, ANNIE SKATES will likely be at the rear of the pack early in the Oaks, watching her American counterparts battle up on the front end. Last time she was in the U.S., she ran very well over the boggy Monmouth turf on the Breeders' Cup undercard, using her powerful finishing move to go from last to second in less than a quarter mile. This year, she's been running at the American Oaks 10 furlong distance, something many of these others haven't. Took a stroll all by herself around the Hollywood turf course on Friday morning, and while she wasn't asked for much, she handled herself very professionally. May not have the stakes victories her foes do, but the way she's handled shipping before may give her an edge. A nice value play at 10-1. |
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Pedigree Analysis :: Chestnut filly, 3; by Mr. Greeley - Vivalita (Deputy Minister) |
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Kentucky bred ANNIE SKATES has raced exclusively in Great Britain after being sold at the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale. As a rule, the European style is not to start their young horses until summer, and Annie Skates was no exception, making her debut last August 24. She ran well to be second, and came right back two weeks later to break her maiden. After finishing a close-up third in a Group 3 stakes, her connections brought her over for the Breeders' Cup. However, she was excluded from that event, so she ran in the Epitome on the undercard. She's yet to win in three starts this year, but has hit the board in two listed stakes.
Annie Skates is a daughter of the top sprinter Mr. Greeley, who won the seven furlong Lafayette (gr. III) and the Swale (gr. III) at the same distance. He was also second in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) to Desert Stormer. Overall, he ran first or second in 11 of 16 starts, earning $474,452. Mr. Greeley is inbred 4x4 to the classic distance sire Native Dancer, one of the best horses of the 20th century whose only loss was a second in the 1953 Kentucky Derby.
As a sire, Mr. Greeley has ten crops of racing age, with 40 stakes winners, including the European champion 2-year-old filly Finsceal Beo; Nonsuch Bay, who took the Mother Goose (gr.I), El Corredor, winner of the Cigar Mile Handicap (gr.I) and a good sire in his own right, Fan Club's Mister, American Derby (gr.II) victor, Celtic Melody, Humana Distaff Handicap (gr.I) champ, and Whywhywhy, winner of the Belmont Futurity (gr.I) and sire of the winner of the inaugural Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, Nownownow.
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