THE 1998 BREEDERS’ CUP

A Breeders’ Cup single day record crowd of 80,452 witnessed two memorable performances, starting with the 6-year-old gelding Da Hoss, who won the 1996 Mile at Woodbine but had not raced for nearly two years. He came into the 1998 Mile with one prep race just a month before, but proved more than equal to the task. Losing the lead to Hawksley Hill in deep stretch, Da Hoss, ridden by John Velazquez, fought back to overtake his rival by a head at the wire. Breeders’ Cup announcer Tom Durkin called Da Hoss’s feat “the greatest comeback since Lazarus.” The day’s second spectacular moment took place in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which featured one of the best fields ever assembled: the 1997 Derby winner Silver Charm, the last two Belmont Stakes winners Touch Gold and Victory Gallop and defending Classic winner Skip Away. Silver Charm led into deep stretch and European star Swain was in contention out in center of the racetrack. But down the middle came Awesome Again, under Pat Day, to win the race by three quarters of a length.