CBS SportsLine wire reports
June 26, 1998

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- It's hard to tell who's going to have more fun this weekend in California: Sonny and Carolyn Hine or Skip Away -- their reason for being here.

All

Related Links Dark horse aims to challenge Skip Away's streak on the line Horse racing events Television coverage Results and upcoming major stakes Three-year-old results and races Horse Racing forum: Is Skip Away better than Gentlemen?

three are back at Hollywood Park for the first time since Skip Away won the Breeders' Cup Classic in November. Since then, it's continued to be good times for racing's fun couple and the beloved horse they nicknamed "Skippy."

The 5-year-old, trained by Sonny and owned by Carolyn, brings a six-race winning streak into Sunday's $1 million Hollywood Gold Cup against rival Gentlemen and six other horses.

"We have no pressure," the quick-witted Hine said. "What's she going to do, fire me?"

THE COUPLE, WHO CLAIM they've never vacationed in 36 years of marriage, credit Skip Away for showing them the country. They've been to Baltimore and Massachusetts so far this year. Of course, "Skippy" won in both places.

While in Los Angeles, Hine said he'd like to take Carolyn to the famed Farmer's Market and Catalina Island.

"We'll have to fly. My wife gets seasick in the bathtub," he joked.

Carolyn has designs on shopping Rodeo Drive.

"I'll go back and get what I didn't 20 years ago," she said, recalling the couple's first visit in 1976 for a race.

SHE CAN AFFORD A SPENDING spree if Skip Away wins the $600,000 first-place money. That amount would go a long way toward helping him reach $10 million in earnings. Skip Away has $8.3 million from 33 starts, second only to Cigar's record $9.9 million.

"I set up a schedule where he could get the $10 million," Hine said.

Gentlemen's backers hope he gets in the way. He beat Skip Away by a half-length in last year's Pimlico Special in their only other meeting.

"To me, this is the race of the year," Hine said. "These are two great horses. Skip Away is No. 1 and Gentlemen is No. 2."

They'll get a good look at each other in the gate. Skip Away and Jerry Bailey drew the No. 2 post, with Gentlemen and Gary Stevens next door in the third hole. Floriselli will break from the rail in the 1 1/4-mile race. All starters will carry 124 pounds.

SKIP AWAY WAS INSTALLED as the even-money morning line favorite Thursday, with the entry of Gentlemen and Puerto Madero, trained by Richard Mandella, the second choice at 7-5.

Mandella has a victory streak of his own to rival Skip Away. He's won six straight million-dollar races for older horses in Southern California, dating to Siphon's victory in the 1996 Gold Cup.

"I think about it a lot," he said. "When it goes away, I'm going to be really sad."

Gentlemen comes to the Gold Cup on workouts alone, having been away from racing since finishing last in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 7. The 6-year-old Argentine-bred was treated for a skin rash, and then bled in the race.

Mandella is confident Gentlemen will revert to form Sunday.

"OTHER THAN WE HAVEN'T had a prep race, he couldn't be better," he said. "I think he's up to his best race, and he'll need to be. Skip Away is surely in his prime, just doing things automatically. I think there's a great race coming."

Mandella saw Skip Away's dominance up close in the Massachusetts Handicap on May 30. He set a Suffolk Downs record, going 1 1/2 miles in 1:47 1-5 while carrying 130 pounds. Puerto Madero, making his U.S. stakes debut, finished 4½ lengths back in second.

"He'll be laying back in the weeds, making a late run at it," Mandella said of Puerto Madero. "If they let them all get carried away, hooked up together and fighting, he might come a long way and pick up the pieces. Who knows, this might be his day."

Silver Charm, last year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, dropped out Wednesday because of a fever, spoiling a rare joint appearance by three of racing's biggest stars.

"IT WOULD'VE BEEN a lot of fun," Hine said. "We'll miss him.''