BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Classic of Course, a winner of the $158,000 Cutler Bay Stakes and $70,000 Awesome Banner overnight handicap this year, takes another step up in competition Saturday in the $150,000 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes (Grade 3) at Gulfstream Park. The Florida-bred gelding owned by Amy E. Dunne and trainer Patrick Biancone is among seven 3-year-olds and older in the mile-and-one-sixteenth contest.

After winning the seven-and-a-half-furlong Cutler Bay over the Gulfstream turf in March, Classic of Course was off the board in the Grade 1 American Turf presented by Ford going a mile-and-sixteenth on the grass at Churchill Downs on May 3. He then returned to Gulfstream to finish fifth in the $75,000 Not Surprising at the same distance on the grass at Gulfstream on June 7 then was given a nearly four-month break.

The versatile 3-year-old returned in good form to win a mile-and-70-yard allowance over the Gulfstream Park synthetic on Sept. 28 and was next third in the $70,000 Mr. Jordan overnight handicap going a mile on the main track on Oct. 18. He won the Awesome Banner by a half-length at the same distance on Nov. 8 at Gulfstream and in one start since, was fourth in the $100,000 Sabal Palm overnight handicap on the all-weather course at Gulfstream on Nov. 29.

 

Classic of Course has been reliable throughout his 16-race career with four wins, three seconds and four thirds while earning $393,988. He is by Awesome of Course out of Alma Mater, by Honor Code and was bred in Florida by Amy E. and Ciaran G. Dunne.

Classic of Course has post four and will be ridden by Junior Alvarado.

 

Daniel Alonso’s multiple graded stakes-winner Skippylongstocking is the likely favorite for the Harlan’s Holiday, although he makes his first start since finishing eighth in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic on Aug. 22.

The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained 6-year-old has won two of six starts this year—both in graded stakes—including a length-and-a-quarter score in the Grade 3 Michelob Ultra Challenger at Tampa Bay Downs in March and a three-quarters of a length victory in the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup at Santa Anita in May.

Skippylongstock has won 11 of 34 career starts with three seconds and seven thirds while racking up $3,684,110 in earnings. 

Tyler Gaffalione will ride the son of Exaggerator from post two.

Others set for the Harlan’s Holiday are Hold My Bourbon and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Catalytic with Javier Castellano named to ride, Poster and rider Flavien Prat, Edgard Zayas will be in the saddle for Racing Driver and Con Compania (Chi) will have Miguel Vasquez up.

Return to the December 17 issue of Wire to Wire