New Challenger for Skip Away

Ralph Siraco

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1998 | 10:50 a.m.

The road to this year's Breeders' Cup continues to intensify as the championship day of racing approaches on Saturday, Nov. 7.

The leading contender for the Classic, Skip Away, may have a new sophomore challenger in the Oct. 10, $1 million Grade I Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park. Trainer Elliot Walden said that he is strongly considering the Jockey Club Gold Gup as the next stop for Victory Gallop.

The Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes runner-up missed a workout that kept him from an engagement with his peers in Louisiana on Saturday in the $500,000 1 1/4-mile Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. So, Walden is looking toward the Gold Cup to get his Breeders' Cup Classic hopeful back on schedule.

Asked about the prospect of facing Skip Away with his younger star, Walden replied, "That's our first choice...It's not that we're dying to run against Skip Away...We know (Victory Gallop) likes the race track; we know he likes the distance; it's a big purse; and it's four weeks before the Breeders' Cup...It's not etched in stone, but we're leaning that way."

The purse is big only if you win it and considering Victory Gallop scored the biggest win of his career, to date, over the track when he beat Real Quiet by a nose in the dramatic Belmont Stakes las June, it is definitely worth the shot. The trainer said his other options are the Hawthorne Gold Cup on the same date or the Oct. 16 Meadowlands Cup under the lights in North Jersey.

ROAD TO THE BREEDERS' CUP RESULTS: Saturday at Belmont Park, Woodward Stakes -- Skip Away (Classic); Ruffian Handicap -- Sharp Cat (Distaff); Jerome Handicap -- Limit Out (Classic); at Bay Meadows, Bay Meadows Handicap -- Hawksley Hill (Mile); at Kentucky Downs, Kentucky Cup Dash -- G.H.'s Pleasure (Sprint); Kentucky Cup Ladies Turf -- Pleasant Temper (Mile?); Kentucky Cup Mile -- Rob N' Gin (Mile); Kentucky Cup Turf -- Yaqthan (Turf). Sunday at Belmont Park, Matron -- Oh What A Windfall (Juvenile Fillies); Futurity -- Lemon Drop Kid (Juvenile); at Woodbine Racecourse, Woodbine Mile -- Labeeb (Mile); at Bay Meadows, Ascot Handicap -- Sierra Virgin (Mile?).

ROAD TO THE BREEDERS' CUP UPCOMING STAKES RACES: Friday at The Meadowlands -- $500,000 Buick Pegasus Handicap -- Probable Starters: Louisiana Derby winner Comic Strip, Rock And Roll, Tomorrow's Cat and Chilito. Saturday at Turfway Park -- the Kentucky Cup series, Kentucky Cup Sprint -- Probable Starters: Baquero, Ex Marks The Cop and Reraise; Kentucky Cup Juvenile Fillies -- Probable Starters: Chelsie's House and Unbridled Wind; Kentucky Cup Juvenile -- Probable Starters: Hidden Country, Time Bandit and Lecture; Kentucky Cup Classic -- Probable Starters; Silver Charm, Wild Rush, Acceptable, Concerto and Pacificbounty; Turfway Breeders' Cup Stakes -- Probable Starters: Meter Maid, Dancing Gulch and Lily O' Gold. Also Saturday at Louisiana Downs -- $500,000 Super Derby -- Probable Starters: Classic Cat, Raffie's Majesty, Arch and Code Six. Saturday at Belmont Park -- Vosburgh Stakes -- Probable Starters: Kelly Kip and Affirm Success.