GOLDEN GLIMPSES #138

October 27, 1998

By ED GOLDEN

What looked like a formality for Skip Away in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on Nov. 7 is now surrounded by an aura of doubt.

Can Skip Away win his finale, erase his 10 1/2-length defeat by Wagon Limit and Gentlemen in the Gold Cup, regain lost prestige, become the richest thoroughbred in North American racing history and win an undisputed Horse of the Year title?

He’ll have to defeat Silver Charm to do it, because with Silver Charm’s return to form in the Goodwood Handicap, the ultimate showdown now looms in the Classic.

Only two Breeders’ Cup races, the Distaff and the Juvenile Fillies, have the stamp of domination, with Sharp Cat and the Bob Baffert-trained duo of Excellent Meeting and Silverbulletday, respectively.

We asked nationally known professional clocker Gary Young for his views on racing’s $12 million day, the Breeders’ Cup:

CLASSIC

"Skip Away is a question mark now. What looked like a march to the money crown and undefeated season got sidetracked in the Gold Cup.

"Silver Charm was fairly impressive in the Goodwood. He could be getting right at the right time, but both he and (Goodwood runner-up) Free House ran pretty hard.

"Awesome Again won a race at Hawthorne (the $400,000 Hawthorne Gold Cup), but that really doesn’t prove a whole heckuva lot. His own camp probably would admit he hasn’t beat anything this year.

"If Touch Gold is getting beat while receiving weight (eight pounds) from a 3-year-old (Arch, in the Fayette Handicap), that’s not a real good sign.

"Victory Gallop--I don’t like a horse who has surgery a couple months out from the Breeders’ Cup.

"Arch can’t be faulted and he appears to be coming on. But he probably would need another race or two to develop into these kind of horses.

"I’d rate Skip Away and Silver Charm as the top two, with Awesome Again as the third choice."

TURF

"Daylami is not supposed to be coming here for the race (the Godolphin runner was returned to England following his victory in the Man o’ War). Swain has been one of my favorite horses through the years. He’s been a real good horse and it would be fitting if he went out as a Breeders’ Cup champion. Of the California-based horses, I think Bonapartiste and Military are nice horses, but it looks like a very wide open race that could be dominated by the Europeans."

MILE

"Favorite Trick was pretty impressive winning his first grass start (the Keeneland Breeders’ Cup Mile). How ironic would it be after all the dirt that’s been kicked on him if he came back and ran good in the Breeders’ Cup? Joyeux Danseur really ran horrible. I would think the Europeans have an awful strong hand in the turf races. The European contingent has always done well in these races. Labeeb is a difficult horse, to beat and to handle. I’m not a big Elusive Quality fan. I think he and Subordination will probably get in a pretty good speed duel."

DISTAFF

"It’s hard to see anyone beating Sharp Cat right now. Unless some horse breathes on her and puts some pressure on her, it’s pretty hard to see Sharp Cat not winning."

JUVENILE

"It’s an interesting race, especially now that Worldly Manner isn’t running. Lemon Drop Kid? Nah. Yes It’s True and Tactical Cat I don’t think you can drag that far (1 1/16 miles). Up until The Groom Is Red won the Champagne, every race that day had been won on the lead. So that made his race halfway impressive, it really did. He ran awful good."

JUVENILE FILLIES

"I like the way Silverbulletday won (the Alcibiades). I like her over Antahkarana and Excellent Meeting. That is one of the few divisions where California looks like it should dominate. We have a pretty strong chance in the Distaff, only because of Sharp Cat."

SPRINT

"I don’t like any of the California sprinters, other than Reraise. (Ancient Title Handicap winner) Gold Land got a decked trip in that race. He got set up (by the speed duel). I’m not surprised that Kona Gold (fifth as the 13-10 favorite in the Ancient Title) didn’t step up and play ball. He wasn’t running against two-other-thans in there."

MARY CRUZ--Chilean-bred filly made up good ground in U.S. debut, should appreciate more distance on turf.

ODE TO ELAINE--Daughter of Bertrando took no prisoners in debut, winning by six lengths in front-running fashion. Bright future ahead.

READY AND WILLING--Buried claiming maidens by 10 lengths, has enough in the tank to handle tougher.

THE HOMESTRETCH: Exploit, undefeated in two starts for Baffert, will make his next start Breeders’ Cup day in the $100,000 Iroquois Stakes at Churchill Downs . . . Jockey Paul Atkinson has departed to Saudi Arabia where he is under contract to Prince Faisal bin Khalid . . . Another one bites the dust: jockey Michael Hunter has packed his tack and returned to his native Maryland . . . Travers winner Coronado’s Quest, thrown to the wolves in the Woodward Stakes, could make his next start in either the Breeders’ Cup Classic or the Cigar Mile on Nov. 28 . . . Through Oct. 11, Jerry Bailey led Gary Stevens in total earnings, $14,456,402 to $13,550,888. Kent Desormeaux was third with $11,630,975. Baffert outdistanced Bill Mott among trainers, $10,851,807 to $7,652,730. Golden Eagle Farm topped Bob and Beverly Lewis among owners, $4,256,707 to $3,851,688, while Silver Charm led Skip Away, $3,133,930 to $2,740,000. National leaders in victories were Edgar Prado (jockeys, 353); Dale Baird (trainers, 254); Dale Baird (owners, 231) and Aung Ping (horses, nine wins).

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