Skip Away’s Romp No Breeders’ Cup Tuneup

Horse racing

Jerry Bailey, who chased Skip Away home on the great Cigar in the 1996 Jockey Club Gold Cup, joined Skip Away in the winner’s circle after the $1 million race for older horses Saturday at Belmont Park in New York.

With Bailey riding him for the first time this year, Skip Away zoomed home in 1:58-4/5 for the 1-1/4 miles, beating long shot Inside Friendship by 6-1/2 lengths. Another outsider, Wagon Limit, ran third.

The race was marred when Coup D’Argent fell approaching the turn for home because of a compound fracture of the left front ankle. Jockey Gary Stevens was thrown over Coup D’Argent’s head, and John Velazquez was unseated when his mount, Golden Larch, fell. Both riders escaped serious injury.

Sonny Hine, Skip Away’s trainer, indicated that he would skip the $4 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 8 at Hollywood Park. Skip Away was not nominated to the Breeders’ Cup and would need to be supplemented for a fee of $480,000.

Skip Away dueled with the front-running Siphon until the field approached the quarter-pole, then ran away for the victory that snapped a string of three second-place finishes.

Skip Away paid $4.90 to win and earned $600,000 for his 10th victory in 28 career starts. He has earned $1,801,000 this year and $4,588,360 for his career.

In two other Grade I stakes on the same program, Val’s Prince took command at midstretch and won the 1-1/2-mile Turf Classic, and Grand Slam overcame a big early lead by Lil’s Lad and won the Champagne Stakes for 2-year-olds.

Val’s Prince will run in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Grand Slam will start in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Val’s Prince, ridden by Mike Smith, was timed in 2:28-2/5 while winning the $500,000 Turf Classic by 2-1/2 lengths. Val’s Prince paid $7.30.

Grand Slam, six lengths behind at the half-mile pole, rushed past Lil’s Lad to win the Champagne by 2-1/2 lengths. Ridden by Stevens, he paid $3.40 as the favorite.

Breeders’ Futurity

Heavily favored Favorite Trick took the lead at the top of the stretch and drew away for a three-length victory in the $427,600 Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

The 2-year-old son of Phone Trick remained undefeated in seven career starts and established himself as the solid favorite over Grand Slam and others for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Favorite Trick was ridden by Pat Day while covering 1-1/16 miles in 1:43-1/5. He paid $2.80 to win.