Stewards Rewrite Alphabet

On the first day of Breeders’ Cup Preview weekend, there were shockers on both coasts in the main events.

Several minutes after Alphabet Soup was disqualified in one of the more controversial calls in recent memory, making Savinio the winner of the $303,300 Goodwood Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Santa Anita, Skip Away held off Cigar to win the $1-million Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.

After a lengthy delay, Oak Tree stewards Ingrid Fermin, Dennis Nevin and Tom Ward ruled Alphabet Soup, the 4-5 favorite who finished a length in front of Savinio, interfered with Savinio and Dare And Go passing the wire the first time in the 1 1/8-mile race.

To the sound of some of the loudest boos heard at a local track in years and to the displeasure of jockey Chris McCarron and trainer David Hofmans, the 5-year-old roan was disqualified and placed third behind Savinio and Dare And Go, who was making his first start since upsetting Cigar in the Pacific Classic almost two months earlier.

While watching a head-on shot of the incident, Ward explained the stewards’ position.

“The three horse [Powerful Punch, who finished last in the field of four], bobbles at the break, drops out of and isn’t a factor,” said Ward. “[Alphabet Soup] angles toward the rail and everybody has plenty of room now.

“There’s continued pressure, just a gradual drift inside. You can take a look at these tractor marks [a tractor pulls the starting gate into position] and see where he started.

“Now, [Alex] Solis [on Dare And Go] has got to make a decision, the turn is coming up and he’s got to get back out of there. When he does, his horse gets a little rank with him and he ends up breaking stride and losing position.

“You couldn’t put any of the blame on [Corey] Nakatani [Savinio’s jockey]. He was a passenger. He had to go wherever McCarron was going to send him because Chris had him out-run half a length. There wasn’t anything he could do.”

Those who differed with the call felt Dare And Go caused his own problems.

“I’m very disappointed,” Hofmans said. “Chris didn’t think there should have been a disqualification. He thought [Dare And Go] overreacted. [Savinio] ducked in and [Alphabet Soup] followed him. We’ll go to the Breeders’ Cup--I think--off this race.”

A 6-1 shot, Savinio collected his second victory in his last three outings and he has two wins in six tries on the main track. Whether or not he heads to Toronto remains to be seen, but Dare And Go will be there.

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After winning 16 consecutive races, Cigar has been beaten in two of his last three. He didn’t have any excuses Saturday in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

In all but clinching the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top 3-year-old, Skip Away tracked the pace set by Louis Quatorze, got the lead in the lane and found enough to win by a head over the 1-5 choice in 2:00 3/5 for the 1 1/4 miles.

Owned by Carolyn Hine and trained by her husband, Sonny, Skip Away is not eligible for the Breeders’ Cup and his trainer had said Saturday’s race would be his final one of 1996.

Horse Racing Notes

Making his first start for trainer Charlie Whittingham, who took over for Ben Cecil, Urgent Request scored a four-length victory in the $180,300 Oak Tree Breeders’ Cup Mile Handicap. Tracking the pace set by 17-10 second choice Riton, the 6-year-old gray stormed home in 1:32 2/5 under Chris McCarron, setting a course record. Megan’s Interco, the 8-5 favorite, was second, 1 1/4 lengths in front of Felon. . . . City Band, who had won a sprint at Turfway Park by 17 lengths in her last start, stretched out and won the $200,000 Oak Leaf under Julio Garcia. City Band, who ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44 2/5, gave trainer Wayne Lukas his ninth win in the Grade I vent. Clever Princess was second and favored Wealthy was third.