It’s hard to believe it was 10 years ago. So much has happened in the real world since American Pharoah swept the 2015 Triple Crown and capped his 3-year-old season with a historic “Grand Slam” win in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland.
It is an iconic image that still resonates with fans and horse racing professionals 10 years later. Jockey Victor Espinoza (a 2017 Hall of Fame inductee) with his arm raised in triumph and the world’s biggest smile crossing the finish line on American Pharoah.
Anyone who watched the 2022 Breeders’ Cup World Championships in person or on TV will always remember the Longines Classic first. A truly grand finale, the last of 14 World Championship races was a display of racing brilliance, as undefeated Flightline closed out his career with an 8 ¼-length runaway win.
The story of Skip Away begins with Carolyn Hine, wife of late Hall of Fame trainer Sonny Hine, wishing for a white Thoroughbred.
Carolyn has diminished eyesight and wanted to be able to follow her horse beyond her blazing red and yellow silks. Sonny explained that white horses are extremely hard to find, but he attended a sale for 2-year-olds at Calder Race Course in Miami to see whether he might find a modestly priced gray horse that could run a bit.
