Da Hoss

Three weeks after nearly winning the Preakness, Oliver's zTC Twist is working diligently toward his next start, in the $300,000 Ohio Derby."He came out of the Preakness super and worked a mile a couple days ago," said trainer Bill Boniface. "He'll have one more work before he leaves Friday morning by chartered jet."Boniface said he has no second thoughts about Oliver's Twist skipping the Belmont in favor of next Saturday's 1 1/8 -mile test at Thistledown."I don't think the distance [1 1/2 miles]

Two messages were sent to Laurel Park from Canada yesterday concerning the $100,000 Laurel Dash.The first told many of 9,728 in attendance that Laurel Dash favorite Grand Continental ran a close second to Breeders' Cup Mile winner Da Hoss, thus his 2-to-1 status. The second was a personal message to trainer John R. S. Fisher about his Laurel Dash hopeful, 3-year-old Mayoumbe.If only the public had known.Mayoumbe rolled to a four-length victory in the dash, making Fisher's Breeders' Cup day one to remember, even if he was in Maryland.

ETOBICOKE, Ontario -- Three weeks after his sister, Dawn, was found strangled, jockey Corey Nakatani won two million-dollar Breeders' Cup races."This is for Dawn," Nakatani said. "I've got an angel on my side."The California trainer Jenine Sahadi, 33, became the first female trainer of a Breeders' Cup champion."Women are just as capable as men," Sahadi said. "I wouldn't trade places with anyone today."The trainer D. Wayne Lukas and the owner-breeder William T. Young teamed again to produce a potential Kentucky Derby winner.

HALLANDALE, Fla. -- If the Breeders' Cup is thoroughbred racing's greatest day, it is also the source of endless speculation, countless debates and seemingly unanswerable questions.That's before the races.Afterward, all becomes as clear as a warm, sunny, breezy Florida afternoon. And that's what racing fans can expect for the Breeders' Cup today at Gulfstream Park near Fort Lauderdale -- from the weatherman, who's predicted a splendid afternoon.This is the 16th Breeders' Cup, an American innovation that has brought together the top horses and horsemen from around the world for racing's richest day and ultimate challenge.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- "We have had a setback."With those words, the English trainer Henry Cecil sent shock waves through the Churchill Downs' backstretch yesterday. He trains Royal Anthem, the likely favorite in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf.The 3-year-old colt, a four-time winner in five starts, became lame in his left foreleg after Sunday's seven-furlong breeze on the turf course. The reason for his lameness was not immediately evident.But yesterday, a blacksmith removed his front shoes and replaced them with glue-ons.

ELMONT, N.Y. -- On the day horses were entered and post positions were drawn for the 12th Breeders' Cup, Cigar fanciers offered different points of view on the chances of the Maryland-bred superstar to excel in the $3 million Classic."

Human error, more than anything else, is what could get Cigar beat in the $3 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Oct. 28 at Belmont Park.That was the opinion of trainer Bill Mott yesterday as he looked over the large and diverse field that jockey Jerry Bailey might have to thread his way through as he bids for his 12th consecutive victory."

Older horses will be at center stage when nearly 40 major stakes are offered during the Fourth of July weekend at tracks on both East and West coasts.The headliners are a pair of Maryland-breds, Cigar and Concern, who meet for the third time this year in the $1 million Hollywood Gold Cup tomorrow in California.Cigar, who defeated Concern in both the Oaklawn Handicap and Pimlico Special, will be the high weight at 126 pounds and might face his stiffest career challenge. He drew the 1-post in an eight-horse field and isn't expected to get an easy lead, as he did a couple of months ago at Pimlico.

English trainer Michael Dickinson gave his mother a firsthand look at his American lifestyle yesterday.In the winner's circle after the $75,000 Riggs Handicap at Pimlico Race Course, Dickinson wasn't whooping and hollering or even petting his horse.He was on his cellular phone, getting information about other races while ignoring a photographer, the track's closed-circuit interviewer and even his visiting mother, Monica Dickinson.This was celebrating American style.Dickinson carded winners at three different tracks yesterday, prompting the phone maneuvering that didn't particularly please his mom, a former point-to-point and show rider in Yorkshire, England.

Chalk up another Memorial Day weekend stakes win for a runner stabled at the Fair Hill Training Center, the 400-horse complex located across the road from the Fair Hill steeplechase course in Cecil County.On Saturday night, Prestonwood Farm's Da Hoss, from the Fair Hill-based Michael Dickinson stable, won the $150,000 Jersey Derby at Garden Stable Park.Then yesterday at Pimlico Race Course, John R. S. Fisher shipped in Clever Clever from Fair Hill and watched the 5-year-old mare win the $35,050 Gold Digger Stakes in a downpour on a soggy turf course.