Hine, who purchased Skip Away in his wife's name, campaigned him through three championship seasons, culminating in his being named Horse of the Year in 1998. Earlier, Hine's 46 stakes-winning horses had included Skip Away's sire, the major winner Skip Trial. Hine, who passed away in 2000, won 897 (16%) races from 5,467 starts, and earned $28,525,821, since 1976. Earlier statistics verify 408 previous victories. Hine was elected over finalists John Veitch, who trained Alydar, and California trainer Mel Stute.
Born in the Bronx on January 9, 1931, Hine was the son of Arthur Hine, a clothing merchant and trainer on the Maryland/West Virginia circuit. He often rode match races with his brother Marvin and after graduating high school, hitchhiked to Charles Town and began his lifelong involvement in horse racing. He trained his first winner that year: Miss Economy at Marlboro Race Course. He became a full-time trainer in 1957. While his early years were a struggle, Mr. Hine quickly established himself and became a fixture at Monmouth Park, the Meadowlands and Gulfstream Park, training such crack horses as Amber Pass, Bet Big, Cojak, Guilty Conscience, Norquestor, Royal Hierachy, Skip Trial and Technology.
When he came to New York with Skip Away, Mr. Hine became a national celebrity. He supplemented Skip Away to the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic in 1997 for $400,000 and came away with a six-length victory at Hollywood Park. In 1998, he won in succession the Donn Handicap, the Gulfstream Park Handicap, the Pimlico Special, the Mass 'Cap (carrying 130 pounds), the Hollywood Gold Cup, the Iselin (carrying 131 pounds) and the Woodward. He finished out the year by taking Horse of the Year honors. When he retired at the end of 1998, "Skippy" had a record of 38 starts with 18 wins 10 seconds and 6 thirds and earnings of $9,616,360. He is second on the all time money earners list behind Cigar.
Jockey Smith, who won Breeders' Cup races in 2002 on Azeri and juvenile champion Vindication, also partnered Skip Away in his runaway victory in the 1997 Breeders' Cup Classic. Smith was chosen over Eddie Maple and Randy Romero. Smith has won a total of 10 Breeders' Cup races, and, prior to Azeri, he was the regular rider for another Horse of the Year, Hall of Famer Holy Bull. Among the other major winners Smith has ridden were Preakness victor Prairie Bayou, two-time Breeders' Cup Mile winner Lure, plus Coronado's Quest, Heavenly Prize, Sky Beauty, and Inside Information. A native of New Mexico, Smith rode his first winner in 1982 and through last year had a career record of 4,169 wins (17%) from 25,040 mounts, with earnings of $152,501,557. He has won two Eclipse Awards for jockeys and led the nation's riders in earnings in 1993. In consecutive seasons, 1993 and 1994, he set national records for stakes victories in a year, raising the mark to 62 and then to 66 stakes wins.
