Slip Away much the best in Colonial Cup

Ken and Sarah Ramsey's SLIP AWAY (Skip Away) overtook pacesetter Preemptive

Strike (Roanoke) with about six fences remaining in Saturday's $100,000 Colonial

Cup (NSA-G1), and gradually drew off to register an emphatic victory in the 2

3/4-mile hurdle over the Springdale Race Course at Camden, South Carolina. With

this win in American steeplechasing's final major race of the season, the

seven-year-old gray gelding threw his hat into the ring as a candidate for

Eclipse Award honors in a division that has lacked a standout all season.

The speedy Slip Away rated in second behind Preemptive Strike most of the way

before making his bid under Paddy Young. He had no serious challenge thereafter

as he extended his lead to 25 3/4 lengths. The final time of the race

was 5:14 4/5 on firm ground. Preemptive Strike held off Tax Ruling (Dynaformer) for the place,

while Grand National (NSA-G1) winner Percussionist (Ire) (Sadler's Wells)

finished far back in sixth.

This was the first top-level triumph for the Tom Voss-trained Slip Away,

whose regular display of speed had often found him wanting in the late stages of

many of the nation's major jumping events over the past couple of seasons. His

consistency shone this season, however, as he opened up proceedings with a

nine-length score in the Temple Gwathmey (NSA-G3) at Middleburg, Virginia.

Second in the Iroquois (NSA-G1) and a close third in the A.P. Smithwick Memorial

(NSA-G2) at Saratoga in his next two, Slip Away suffered is worst defeat of the

season when fifth in the New York Turf Writers Cup (NSA-G1), also at the Spa.

Second by a length in the Helen Haskell Sampson (NSA-G1) at Monmouth Park, he

preceded this score with another second-place finish in the Grand National,

finishing seven lengths behind Percussionist. With this fourth stakes win, a

list that also includes the 2009 editions of the David L. (Zeke) Ferguson

Memorial and Noel Laing, Slip Away elevated his record to 25-10-6-1, $332,415.

Bred in Kentucky by Glencrest Farm, Trontz and Madison, Slip Away was

produced by the stakes-winning Aurora Slew (Slew's Royalty), who has also reared

the unraced juvenile gelding Aurorin Shot (Shotiche). Slip Away counts as his

third dam the Grade 3 winner Lady Roberta (Roberto), herself a full sister to

Group 3 vixen Tursanah.