Da Hoss
Da Hoss (foaled January 18, 1992) by Gone West (by Mr. Prospector) out of Jolly Saint (by Welsh Saint) is a bay Thoroughbred gelding best known for twice winning the Breeders' Cup Mile.
| Da Hoss | |
|---|---|
 Da Hoss during a show at the Kentucky Horse Park | |
| Sire | Gone West |
| Grandsire | Mr. Prospector |
| Dam | Jolly Saint |
| Damsire | Welsh Saint |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 1992 |
| Country | United States |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Fares Farms |
| Owner | Wallstreet Racing Stables Prestonwood Farm (1996) |
| Trainer | Michael Dickinson[1] |
| Record | 20: 12-5-2 |
| Earnings | $1,931,558[2] |
| Major wins | |
| Best Turn Stakes (1995) Jersey Derby (1995) Del Mar Derby (1995) Fourstardave Handicap (1996) Pennsylvania Governor's Cup Handicap (1996) Breeders' Cup wins: Breeders' Cup Mile (1996, 1998) | |
| Honours | |
| Kentucky-bred Turf Horse Male (1998) | |
| Last updated on January 1, 2008 | |
Background
He was bred in Kentucky by Fares Farms and originally owned by Prestonwood Farm as well as Wallstreet Racing Stables.
Bought for $6,000 as a yearling at the Keeneland Sales, by Kevin Eikleberry and Clifford Thygesen. Da Hoss was then taken to Turf Paradise in Phoenix, Arizona.
Racing career
1994–1996: Early career
Da Hoss had 3 wins in 3 starts at two years of age. In one start, he ran six furlongs in the record time of 1:07 1/5.
At three, he took the Grade III 'Best Turn Stakes (now known as the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes), the Grade II Jersey Derby and the Grade II Del Mar Derby, and came second in the Grade II Gotham Stakes, Illinois Stakes, Swaps Stakes, and Pegasus Stakes.
When he was four, he won the Grade I Breeders' Cup Mile under Gary Stevens, the Grade I Fourstardave Handicap, and the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup Handicap.
After Da Hoss won the 1996 Mile by one and a half lengths, he was out of racing for almost two years: 1997 and 1998.
1998: Comeback
Da Hoss had only one prep race for the 1998 Mile and that was an allowance event, which he easily won. Dickinson then entered him in the 1998 Breeder's Cup Mile. He wanted Gary Stevens to ride Da Hoss, but the jockey's agent had committed him to another horse. John Velazquez ultimately took the mount. Da Hoss settled comfortably in the early stages of the race and took the lead at the top of the stretch. He was challenged in the stretch by Hawksley Hill, who took over the lead by a nose nearing the finish. Da Hoss gained back the ground lost and put his nose back in front at the wire to take his second Breeders' Cup by the narrowest of margins. Announcer Tom Durkin yelled, "Oh, my, this is the greatest comeback since Lazarus! He's had one race in two years."
The 1998 Mile was Da Hoss' final race. In his twenty starts, he won 12 races, placed in 5 others, and came home third twice. His career earnings amounted to $1,931,558.
Until Ouija Board took her second non-consecutive Breeders' Cup win in 2006, Da Hoss was one of only six horses to ever win two Breeders' Cup races and the only one to win in non-consecutive years.
Retirement
Da Hoss now lives at the Kentucky Horse Park in the Hall of Champions.[3] He shares a paddock with Standardbred pacer Won The West during the show season and lives with, in addition to Won The West, Be A Bono and Mr. Muscleman in the winter.
References
- http://www.tapeta.com/trainer.html Michael Dickinson bio
- http://www.pedigreequery.com/da+hoss The pedigree of Da Hoss
- http://www.kyhorsepark.com/khp/champions/dahoss.asp Da Hoss at the Kentucky Horse Park