Skip Out Front Overtakes Steinlen to Win the American by a Length

Trainer Mike Harmatuck has only a two-horse barn at Hollywood Park, and his horses have made only four starts this season. But in that fourth start, Skip Out Front took off like a Roman candle in the stretch Monday, winning the $205,800 American Handicap by a length over Steinlen, the 7-10 favorite with the crowd of 39,286.

Skip Out Front, a 6-year-old, was claimed by Harmatuck three years ago for $3,200. On Monday he won his first stake, his 14th race in 49 starts and increased his earnings to $563,996.

Beaten by a nose by Clever Song in last year’s American, Skip Out Front raced in third place through the first three-quarters of a mile Monday, then overtook Steinlen in the final sixteenth of a mile.

Deputy Governor, who might have been the favorite had he run, was scratched because of an upper rear leg injury sustained in a workout last week, reducing the field for the 1 1/8-mile grass race to four horses. Steinlen barely held on to take second by a head over World Court. Circus Prince was fourth, just over 2 lengths behind the winner.

Before Monday, Skip Out Front, owned by Ann Gaffey of Lincroft, N.J., won only 1 race in 13 starts over the last two years. He was 0 for 10 in 1987 but still earned more than $200,000 with three second-place finishes and three thirds.

Ridden by Chris McCarron, Skip Out Front paid $4.80 to win and was timed in 1:46 2/5, four-fifths of a second slower than Clever Song’s clocking last year. Skip Out Front carried 115 pounds, six fewer than top-weighted Steinlen.

Horse Racing Notes

Three horses running on Lasix for the first time--Sanctify, Sitting Appeal and Sebrof--won races Monday. Lasix, a diuretic given to horses that bleed from the lungs, is believed in some circles to improve performance the first time it’s used. . . . Sebrof ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15, the fastest time at that distance since Hollywood’s main track was lengthened to 1 1/8 miles in 1985. . . . Personal Ensign, who might be the best filly in the country but for Goodbye Halo, won Monday’s Molly Pitcher Handicap at Monmouth Park by eighth lengths.