Skip Away: The Unsung Super Horse, Part I

Skip Away: The Unsung Super Horse, part I
Joseph Di Rienzi

As we look back at the best thoroughbreds who raced in the last quarter of the 20^th century, Triple Crown winners Seattle Slew and Affirmed easily come to mind, as well as the late blossoming Cigar. There were also outstanding females such as the unbeaten Personal Ensign and the brilliant but tragic Ruffian. However, in ticking off the great horses of this period, I believe Skip Away, who although he did not triumph in a Triple Crown race (though twice classic placed) nor did he have the win percentage we normally associate with the highest class of the breed, still should be included with the top echelon of this era. Skip Away raced four years competing in top level races his last three seasons. He was a rugged, durable individual and a throwback to an earlier time when horsemen raced their steeds, not being averse to losing. Skip Away’s best performances rate with anyone’s of that era, and he defeated over the course of his career an impressive list of foes. For these reasons, I would like to review and highlight (in two parts) Skip Away’s record and pay homage to him for his achievements.

Barbara D. Livngston-drf.com

 

Skip Away was bred in Florida and sold for $30,000 at a two year-olds in training sale in 1995 to Carolyn Hine, a native Baltimorean. He was trained by her husband, Hubert “Sonny” Hine. The tall gray son of Skip Trial (also trained by Hine) out of the Diplomat Way mare Ingot Way was an active juvenile in his 6 starts, placing in the Cowdin and Remsen Stakes in New York. Undeterred by only a single victory in 1995, the generally affable (but sometimes cantankerous) Hine predicted great things for Skip Away despite his somewhat unfashionable bloodlines. However, his first start of 1996 at Gulfstream Park was a disaster in that he was pulled up after bleeding through his nostrils. Administered the diuretic Lasix, Skip Away’s next race, an 8½ furlong allowance race, was more what Hine was expecting as he crushed the field, winning by 12 lengths.

In the Florida Derby, a prime Kentucky Derby prep race, Skip Away could finish no better than fourth, beaten a total of 8½ lengths to the runaway winner Unbridled’s Song. Future classic victors Editor’s Note and Louis Quatorze finished ahead of Skip Away in second and third place, respectively. All three mentioned in the previous sentence had their final Derby prep in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Race Course. Editor’s Note was favored over Louis Quatorze and Skip Away, but it was the Sonny Hine trainee who took over the race early and drew clear winning by 6 lengths in near track record time over the wet, fast surface. Finishing second was Louis Quatorze who gave futile chase to the winner all the way around, and Editor’s Note finished 1½ lengths behind in third place. This resounding victory by Skip Away moved him toward the forefront of Derby contenders and finally justified his trainer’s faith in his ability.

In the Kentucky Derby, Skip Away chose an inopportune time to run one of his poorest races, finishing twelfth after being in the front ranks of the field early. The winner, Grindstone, came from off the pace to just nose out Cavonnier at the finish. Favored Unbridled’s Song finished fifth; Editor’s Note was sixth, and Louis Quatorze was far back in sixteenth. Skip Away’s bad performance was attributed to an aversion to the Churchill Downs surface; a condition which would come back to haunt him in his final career start.

After the Derby, Grindstone suffered an injury that predicated his immediate retirement. Cavonnier, the narrowest of margin loser in the Derby, ruled the favorite in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racetrack. However, the race was decided between the Derby’s sixteenth and twelfth place finishers, Louis Quatorze and Skip Away, respectively. Soon after the start, Pat Day, riding Louis Quatorze, sensing the racetrack was conducive to early speed, sent his mount to the front. Shane Sellers aboard Skip Away, having to angle his mount in from post 11, eventually took up the chase around the clubhouse turn. Setting a very fast pace, Louis Quatorze repulsed a concentrated charge by Sonny Hine’s colt around the stretch turn and drew clear to a 3¼ length victory, equaling at the time the stakes record. Skip Away, in an outstanding effort, was second 3 lengths in front of Editor’s Note who rallied mildly along the rail. Finishing fourth was Cavonnier who could not make up any ground on the leaders.

The Belmont Stakes run three weeks later appeared wide open with Preakness winner Louis Quatorze, classics placed Cavonnier, Skip Away, and Editor’s Note among the fourteen entrants. (Sonny Hine, in seeking a more aggressive ride for his trainee, replaced regular rider Shane Sellers with Jose Santos.) In a fast paced race, Skip Away, from mid-pack, engaged longshot Natural Selection and Louis Quatorze for the lead around the far turn. Cavonnier, who was alongside Skip Away down the backstretch, could not keep pace and was eventually pulled up, suffering a bowed tendon. Editor’s Note was in twelfth place early but moved up gradually down the backstretch. The son of Forty Niner made a sustained run around the long Belmont final turn to have only Skip Away ahead of him at the top of the stretch. In a protracted battle, Editor’s Note forged ahead in the shadow of the finish to prevail by 1 length. Skip Away, in another strong performance, was second, 4 lengths ahead of the filly My Flag. Finishing fourth was Louis Quatorze, another 6 lengths behind.

Having finished second in both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, Skip Away would spend the summer and fall proving he was the best of his generation. In his first race after the Belmont, the pride and joy of Carolyn and Sonny Hine traveled to Thistledown near Cleveland to win the Ohio Derby by 3½ lengths. Carrying top weight of 124 lb. in the Buick Haskell Invitational Handicap at Monmouth Park, Skip Away closed relentlessly to defeat Dr. Caton (115 lb.) by 1 length. This was the third Sonny Hine trained Haskell winner, the others being Skip Trial (Skip Away’s sire) in 1985 and Technology in 1992. 

The Travers Stakes appeared to be a showdown for the classic aged colts. In the seven horse field, Skip Away was the favorite with Louis Quatorze and Editor’s Note, the second and third choices, respectively. Will’s Way, a lightly raced son of Easy Goer, who had narrowly finished second to Louis Quatorze in the Jim Dandy Stakes (in which Editor’s Note was fourth), was regulated to fifth choice. In the Travers, Louis Quatorze battled with longshot Prince of Heaven for the lead. Jose Santos had Skip Away in third place when he decided to have his mount come up the inside towards the end of the backstretch. Pat Day on Louis Quatorze closed that opening forcing Skip Away to steady and lose position. Meanwhile, Jorge Chavez on Will’s Way mounted his challenge on the outside and engaged Louis Quatorze at the top of the stretch. Santos had swung Skip Away to the outside of the two leaders but could not make up any ground. In a thrilling duel, Will’s Way edged clear of Louis Quatorze for a ¾ length victory. Skip Away was third, another length behind, much to the chagrin of Sonny Hine who was displeased with Santos’ ride. Editor’s Note, failed to close ground in finishing fourth, another 3½ lengths back.

After the Travers Stakes, both Skip Away and Louis Quatorze had traveled north of the U. S. border to Canada to run in the 9 furlong Woodbine Million Stakes and “book ended” the race with the former (reunited with Shane Sellers) winning by 3 lengths, and the latter finishing seventh and last. The pair then next surfaced in the 1¼ mile Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park where they faced the intimidating presence of Cigar. The six year-old son of Palace Music had his 16 race win streak stopped in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar Racetrack but returned east to score an impressive win in the Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park. Also in the Gold Cup were Editor’s Note and longshot Secreto de Estado.

Louis Quatorze bounced off his dismal Woodbine performance to grab the early lead in the Jockey Club Gold Cup with Skip Away just off his rear. Jerry Bailey settled Cigar in third place some 4 lengths off the temperate pace. Positions were unchanged until the far turn when Skip Away went up to challenge Louis Quatorze, and Cigar commenced his bid on the outside. At the top of the stretch, the two three year-olds were locked together with Cigar now only a length behind the top pair. Down the stretch, Skip Away edged clear of his sophomore rival, but Cigar was now the main threat as he closed ground on the gray leader. Just before the finish, Cigar drifted slightly out losing some momentum. Whether this cost him the race was unclear, but at the finish, Skip Away was a head in front of the reigning horse of the year. Louis Quatorze was third, 2 lengths behind. Another length back was Editor’s Note who closed a little ground in finishing fourth.

Cigar’s defeat could not realistically be attributed to race tactics, although some observers claimed Bailey waited too long to make to move with his mount. The real story was the ascent of Skip Away, and the recognition that this son of Skip Trial was now of the highest class. There would be no rematch of Skip Away and Cigar in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Sonny Hine had not made Skip Away eligible as a foal and refused to pay the $480,000 supplementary fee needed to enter. Despite not competing in the year’s end championship races Skip Away was voted the Eclipse Award for Three Year-old Male Horse in 1996. It would be the first of three championship seasons for the Hines’ color bearer.

(To be continued in part II.)