Banishing, Chunk of Gold bypass Jockey Club Gold Cup
Horse Racing Nation • • sports
Key Points:
- Banishing, winner of the Godolphin Mile, and Grade 3 winner Chunk of Gold will skip the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup on Friday and instead aim for graded stakes races at Churchill Downs on September 26.
- Chunk of Gold is set to compete in the Grade 2 Lukas Classic at nine furlongs, while Banishing will target either the Lukas Classic or the Grade 3 Ack Ack Stakes at one mile.
- Trainer David Jacobson cited strategic advantages and competition considerations, noting the presence of strong horses like Forever Young, as reasons for choosing Kentucky races for Banishing.
- Travel logistics influenced Chunk of Gold’s decision to run in the Lukas Classic, according to trainer Ethan West, reverting to their original racing plan.
- Banishing has earned over $3.2 million with 11 wins in 32 starts, while Chunk of Gold, purchased for $2,500 as a yearling, is nearing millionaire status with $951,511 in earnings.
