Skip Away: The Unsung Super Horse, Part II

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

This is the second of a two part review on the racing history of that redoubtable warrior Skip Away owned by Carolyn Hine and trained by her husband Sonny. Part I looked at the big gray son of Skip Trial’s early years and finished with a three year-old season in 1996 that resulted in Skip Away winning an Eclipse Award as Champion Three Year Old Male. The second part focuses on his races from ages four to five and spans the years 1997 and 1998.

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With the retirement of Cigar, the torch was passed in 1997 to a new generation in the older male horse division. The most obvious “heir to the throne” was Skip Away who would begin his four year-old campaign in Florida. He began the year in the 9 furlong Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park and found that giving 10 lb. and the early lead to Formal Gold too much to overcome in finishing second beaten 1½ lengths in a fast final time. The Donn victor, a dark hued son of Black Tie Affair, was a late developing three year-old of 1996. In 1997, he would prove himself on occasion to be a horse of considerable brilliance.

In the 1¼ mile Gulfstream Park Handicap, Skip Away went down again as Mt. Sassafras, in receipt of 9 lb., ran by him in the stretch to win by 2¼ lengths. Things seem to go worse for the Carolyn and Sonny Hine favorite as Skip Away traveled to Lone Star Park in for the Texas Mile Stakes and could only finish a distant third while getting weight from the winning Isitingood. Despite these setbacks, the Hines, unlike more risk averse minded owners, remained true to their family star, and eventually Skip Away would reward their good faith.

The Pimlico Special Handicap resulted in one of the strongest races of the year. Argentinian bred, but now U. S. raced, Gentlemen traveled from California with a vaunted reputation to accept high weight of 122 lb. The eight horse field included Skip Away (119 lb.) and two of his conquerors Isitingood and Mt. Sassafras. In the Special, Isitingood went right to the early lead closely pursued by Gentlemen. Skip Away who had an outside post (just as in the previous year’s Preakness) was carried wide around the clubhouse turn as he tried to stay in touch with the leaders. Around the far turn, Gentlemen went up to and passed Isitingood. Skip Away, still racing wide, challenged from the outside. Down the stretch, Gentlemen appeared he would pull away to a clear cut victory, but Skip Away kept coming and at the finish only ½ length separated the two. The time for the race was nearly a track record, and the final 3/16 of a mile was run particularly fast.

After the Pimlico Special, Gentlemen returned to California while Skip Away stayed until the late fall on the East Coast. Three weeks later Skip Away ran in the 9 furlong Massachusetts Handicap and faced two horses in the six horse field that had prior victories over him - Formal Gold and Will’s Way. The latter having defeated Skip Away in the 1996 Travers Stakes. Skip Away, this time showing more speed, got the jump on Formal Gold and grimly held sway to win by a head with Will’s Way finishing third, 3½ lengths further behind. The Mass Cap was Skip Away’s first victory of the year and would be the start of a great series of races in which the powerful son of Skip Trial would face either or both Formal Gold and Will’s Way.

The tri-part rivalry among Skip Away, Formal Gold, and Will’s Way (referred to as “The Three Amigos”) began in the Mass Cap continued next in the venerable Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park. Skip Away, assigned 122 lb., was giving 2 lb. to Formal Gold (who had won the Brooklyn Handicap in the interim) and 6 lb. to Will’s Way. Shane Sellers was content to have the big gray sit off the early pace in the 1¼ mile race and then circled the leaders around the stretch turn. Once in the straight away, Skip Away showed uncommon acceleration to run past Will’s Way for a 1½ length victory with Formal Gold ¾ of a length back in third place. Back at the top of the Eastern handicap horses, Skip Away toted 125 lb. in the 9 furlong Whitney Handicap, but he found either the weight differential or the Saratoga mystique too much and finished third (just as in last year’s Travers Stakes) to Will’s Way (117 lb.). The latter, a son of Easy Goer, definitely a Saratoga horse, defeated Formal Gold (120 lb.) by the bob of his nose with Skip Away beaten 6½ lengths. Three weeks later, Skip Away (124 lb.) and Formal Gold (121 lb.) showed up at their home track Monmouth Park for the Philip H. Iselin Handicap. With only two other challengers, Distorted Humor and longshot Foolish Pole, the 8½ furlong contest appeared to be between the two top weights. However, it was a tour de force for Formal Gold who led all the way, setting fast fractions and coasted clear by 5¼ lengths breaking the track record. Skip Away held second, 2¼ lengths in front of Distorted Humor. 

Back at Belmont in September, The Three Amigos met again at equal weights in the 9 furlong Woodward Stakes with just two other competitors. What appeared a contentious race early turned into a rout ½ mile from the finish as Formal Gold streaked to a 5½ length victory. Skip Away, who could not keep pace with the winner, held second by a neck over Will’s Way who suffered a career ending fracture of his left front leg.

Formal Gold had now finished ahead of Skip Away four times this year, so the former seemed to be very much in the running for both Older Male Horse and Horse of the Year honors. As for Skip Away, who was certainly setting the standard for robustness in contemporary racehorses, he appeared next in the 1¼ mile Jockey Club Gold Cup, a race in which in the previous year he defeated Cigar. There was no Formal Gold (sitting this dance out) and Will’s Way (retired), but the strong favorite was Siphon, in from the West Coast. Sonny Hine, who had little patience with jockeys, replaced Shane Sellers (for the second time) on this occasion with Jerry Bailey with instructions to force the pace. Racing Siphon into defeat, Skip Away bounded away to an impressive 6½ length victory in near track record time. Siphon faded to fourth and as an aftermath was discovered with a career ending ankle injury. Skip Away, who you may recall (from part I) was not Breeder’s Cup eligible (he did not compete in 1996), was eventually supplemented for $480,000 into the Breeders’ Cup Classic after Sonny Hine, noting some key defections (see below), recognized the opportunity.

The 1997 Classic held at Hollywood Park lost probable favorites Gentlemen (lung infection) and Formal Gold (fracture of a cannon bone). In the nine horse field was Skip Away, now ridden by Mike Smith as Jerry Bailey was honoring a previous commitment, in addition to ranking three year-olds Touch Gold, Deputy Commander, and Behrens (with Bailey aboard).

Any anticipation of a close contest was dissipated about halfway through when Skip Away, performing like a man among boys, put the race away down the backstretch. Once he assumed command, the big gray just soared, winning by 6 lengths and leaving the others in his wake. The Hines were all kisses and smiles in the winner’s circle in that their $480,000 supplementary entry resulted in a $2,288,000 return. Sonny Hine, effusive as ever, even complimented deposed jockey Shane Sellers.

Skip Away was clearly the best horse still in training, and his Breeders’ Cup Classic victory was comparable with the finest ever. However, there was strong belief that both Gentlemen and Formal Gold were better than Skip Away based on head-to-head competition. In the manner of a compromise, Skip Away was voted the Eclipse Award for Older Male Horse, but was denied Horse of the Year. That award went to the undefeated two year-old Favorite Trick, questionable in that no one was comparing the diminutive son of Phone Trick to the previous juvenile to win Horse of the Year – Secretariat.

In 1998, there appeared to be a deep group of leading older horses as Skip Away stayed in training as well as Gentlemen, who many believed his superior. Among 1997’s leading sophomores, double classic winner and Three Year-old Champion, Silver Charm would see racing, as well as his often close adversary, Free House, and the powerful Frank Stronach owned duo of Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold and Queens Plate (in Canada) victor Awesome Again.

Skip Away started his five year-old campaign just as he began the previous year in Florida at Gulfstream Park. However, unlike 1997, he was able to win both the Donn and the Gulfstream Park Handicaps under his now regular rider Jerry Bailey. His main opposition was presumed to be Behrens, but he handled that opponent without much difficulty on both occasions.

While Silver Charm traveled abroad to capture the Dubai World Cup, back in the United States, Skip Away was extending his domination of older horses on the East Coast with authoritative wins in the Pimlico Special and the Massachusetts Handicaps. Carrying 128 lb. in the former and 130 lb. in the latter, the big gray son of Skip Trial had developed an elemental style - break cleanly, find his best stride with his high action, and then take over the race.

Skip Away, then shipped west for the Hollywood Gold Cup run under scale weights. In returning to the scene of his 1997 Breeder’s Cup Classic triumph, Skip Away faced Gentlemen who was making his first start since a shocking defeat in the Santa Anita Handicap. Interestingly, Skip Away was sent off the prohibitive favorite, although many last year considered Gentlemen the better horse. 

In the Gold Cup, Skip Away, using his now aggressive style, was sent to the lead under Jerry Bailey with Gentlemen under Gary Stevens in close pursuit. Setting fast fractions, Skip Away bounded down the backstretch with about a length lead. With a ½ mile left, Stevens roused Gentlemen to confront his rival, and the two were joined together around the far turn as both riders asked their mounts for their best. As the two straightened out for the stretch drive, it was clear Skip Away had won the battle as he edged clear of Gentlemen. Coming up the inside, Puerto Madero passed his stable mate to gain second, 1¾ lengths behind Skip Away, but 1 length in front of Gentlemen. With this victory, Sonny Hine claimed his trainee’s leadership of the older horse division, although he could not resist taunting trainer Bob Baffert for “cowardice” in not entering Silver Charm in the Hollywood Gold Cup.

“Skippy”, as known by his connections, returned to home base at Monmouth Park, and, under a career high 131 lb., won the Philip H. Iselin Handicap by a desperate nose over longshot Storming Fever who carried some 18 lb. less. This would be the last time Carolyn and Sonny Hine’s star would be asked to concede weight to his own age group.

The weight for age Woodward Stakes took on its time honored role as a pivotal race for championship honors. The five horse field contained Skip Away, Pacific Classic victor Free House, Gentlemen, Travers Stakes winner Coronado’s Quest, and European raced Running Stag. Skip Away went off the favorite, but there was good support for the other three U. S. raced horses with the public suspecting Skip Away’s narrow victory in the Iselin a sign he may be tailing off from a vigorous campaign. However, once the field was sent on their way, it was clear that Skip Away was at his best. Wresting the lead from Coronado’s Quest after a ¼ of a mile and setting rapid fractions, Skip Away dared all to keep up to his punishing pace. At the top of the stretch, he repulsed a concerted challenge from Gentlemen and then held sway down the stretch for an authoritative 1¾ length victory. Gentlemen was easily second, 6 lengths ahead of Running Stag.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup was next for Skip Away, a race he had won the past two years, and a victory would push his earnings past Cigar as the U. S. all-time money leader. His main opposition in the six horse field appeared to be Gentlemen who was outfitted with blinkers to sharpen his speed. On a sloppy Belmont racetrack, Gentlemen was sent to the front early forcing Skip Away to be the chaser this time. The two warriors raced as a team down the backstretch setting fast fractions for a 1¼ mile race. Around the far turn, Gentlemen won the battle as he put daylight between him and Skip Away. At the top of the stretch, the Argentinian drew out to a large lead, however, the pace took its toll as 34-1 shot Wagon Limit closed from last place to gain the lead and drew out for a shocking 5½ length margin. Gentlemen easily held second by 4¾ lengths over Skip Away. The winner, trained by the “Giant Killer” Allen Jerkens (conditioner of horses that had beaten Kelso, Buckpasser and Secretariat), had lost to Skip Away four times previously. The connections of Skip Away had failed in their attempt to gain the money crown and subsequently revealed that his ankle had swelled after the Gold Cup, leaving his participation in the Breeders’ Cup Classic questionable.

Seemingly recovered from his ankle problem, Skip Away made his final career start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. It appeared to be the deepest in quality in its then fifteen year history. The headliners were the two grays - Skip Away and Silver Charm vying for Older Male and Horse of the Year Honors. The rest of the field included the entry of Awesome Again and Touch Gold, as well as, Coronado’s Quest, 1998 Belmont Stakes victor Victory Gallop, Gentlemen, Arch, Running Stag and the formidable European raced Swain. Skip Away was the favorite, but there was some unease due to soundness issues, his relatively poor performance in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and the fact he had run the worst race of his career at Churchill Downs in the 1996 Kentucky Derby. In a dramatic and blanket finish, Awesome Again edged Silver Charm with Swain and Victory Gallop close up third and fourth, respectively. Skip Away, who was not the same racehorse as had been seen the past three years, finished sixth in his final start, beaten a total of four lengths. (In finishing worse than third, the Hines failed again in their quest to have Skip Away wrest the monetary title from Cigar.)

Despite defeats in his last two races, the Eclipse Award for Older Male went again to Skip Away. This time he was also voted Horse of the Year, based on his overall 1998 record, and the fact Skip Away probably should have won that Eclipse Award in 1997. 

He was retired to stud at the end of the 1998 season to Hopewell Farm in Kentucky having amassed a record of 18 wins (16 in stakes races) with overall 34 in the money performances in 38 starts. He was voted champion at age 3, 4 and 5, and Horse of the Year in 1998 (as indicated above). Despite his racetrack achievements, Skip Away was not supported well at stud and had, at best, modest success as a stallion. He suffered a heart attack in 2010 and died at age seventeen. However, this galloping gray with a long looping stride left an inedible memory of brilliance, durability, and heart, which typifies the best in the thoroughbred.