ELMONT, N.Y. -- In a year full of surprises for trainer Bobby Frankel, none has been more pleasant than the emergence of Skimming.

The winner of the Grade 1 Pacific Classic and an earner of $920,017 this year, Skimming is one reason why Frankel stands atop the North American trainer standings in terms of money won with $8.1 million. Saturday, Skimming will try to give Frankel his 26th stakes win - and sixth Grade 1 - of the year when he takes on Lemon Drop Kid, Behrens, and Gander in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes at Belmont Park.

Skimming is coming off a dynamic front-running victory in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic that left Frankel "totally shocked" and jockey Garret Gomez breathless. In his first dirt start at 10 furlongs, Skimming carved out demanding fractions of 22.79 seconds, 45.53, 1:09.86, and 1:35.13 while covering the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.22.

"For him to have the stamina and run those types of fractions and keep going was a completely awesome performance," said Gomez, who will be in Saturday to ride Skimming again.

And to have done it on dirt is remarkable considering Skimming's breeding screams turf.

Skimming is a son of Nureyev out of a Lyphard Mare, Skimble, who made $758,695 all on turf.

But in four starts for trainer Andre Fabre in France, Skimming could manage no better than a single second-place finish. According to Dr. John Chandler, the president of Prince Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farm, Skimming was a bleeder.

At the end of 1999, Skimming was transferred to the England-based barn of Barry Hills, who ran him on the all-weather dirt track at Wolverhampton. After winning his maiden race on the dirt, Skimming finished fourth in his next start where he was reported to have bled out of both nostrils.

At that point, the decision was made to transfer the horse to the United States where Skimming would be permitted to run on the anti-bleeding medication Lasix. As with most Juddmonte horses, Skimming was sent to Frankel in California.

Frankel had trained Skimming's mother, Skimble, who banked $758,695 primarily on the turf. Asked his first impression of Skimming, Frankel said, "just a horse."

On April 21, Skimming won his U.S. debut, taking an optional claiming race by two lengths by coming from off the pace.

"He ran better than I expected. The horse he beat is a decent horse," Frankel said, referring to Kaiser So Say.

Frankel ran Skimming back in the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap, where he dueled for the lead and faded to third, beaten five lengths by the Richard Mandella-trained Out of Mind.

"We tried to rate him but he was pulling all the way," Frankel said. "He got tired."

Frankel thought the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap would be a good spot to get Skimming his first graded stakes win. Skimming did not make the lead that day and had to settle for a second-place finish behind the accomplished Sir Bear.

"It was an off track that day, Sir Bear had a perfect trip," Frankel said. "I was very happy with my horse's race. He didn't make the lead but he still ran well. When Ecton Park came to him, he fought him off for second."

After winning another optional claimer, Skimming's coming out party was in the San Diego Handicap when he romped to a front-running eight-length victory that had Frankel in "total shock." Among the horses he defeated that day were Prime Timber and River Keen.

That performance earned Skimming a berth in the Pacific Classic where he once again flashed his brilliant speed and led every step of the way for a two-length score.

"He's one of the nicest horses I ever trained; kind, quiet," Frankel said. "You wouldn't think he'd have as much speed as he did. The last two times he's run he has not been hit by the stick."

Skimming now faces his stiffest challenge yet, taking on leading handicap horse Lemon Drop Kid as well as the ultra-consistent Behrens.

"If this was Del Mar I'd feel very good," Frankel said. "At Del Mar horses will go further there if they like it than they will anyplace else."

Skimming has already gone further than anyone could have ever expected.