Flameaway Romps in Muddy $100,000 Skidmore

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – John Oxley’s Flameaway romped home in a muddy edition of Friday’s $100,000 Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.

Originally meant to be run at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf, early-morning storms forced track stewards to pull all races off of the turf for Friday’s card. The surface change meant little to Flameaway, whose only previous career start was a maiden-breaking win over the synthetic surface at Woodbine.

Following a slow start from post 5, jockey Javier Castellano tucked the 2-year-old son of Scat Daddy down near the rail while Nuclear Option set early fractions of :21.86 and :46.42. Castellano had to steady his steed at the top of the stretch drive and wait for the group of 2-year-olds in front to begin parting. His patience was rewarded when a window of opportunity opened between Nuclear Option and My Chinumado, and Flameaway was able to kick away to the wire, completing the 5 1/2-furlong dirt race in 1:06.68.

El Dulce was able to get up for second, finishing 1 1/2 lengths behind the Mark Casse-trained winner. Dial One ran very wide down the front stretch, closing late past tiring foes to get third. My Chinumado, Nuclear Option, and Joopster completed the order of finish. Mentality and Nauti Buoy were scratched.

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Flameaway returned $10.80 to win, $3.80 to place, and $2.90 to show. El Dulce brought back $3.10 to place and $2.30 to show, while Dial One paid $2.80 to show.