CIGAR PREPS DAILY\Del Mar Dennis out of Big 'Cap.Byline: Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Cigar, 1995 Horse of the Year who puts his 13-race winning streak on the line in the $1-million Santa Anita Handicap The Santa Anita Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in the late winter at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is a Grade I race for horses three years old and up, and is considered the most important race for older horses in North America during on Saturday, March 2, galloped Friday morning at Gulfstream Park. "He's been galloping since the race," trainer Bill Mott said of Allen E. Paulson's 6-year-old horse, who was a convincing winner a week ago while making his 1996 debut in the Donn Handicap. "He's doing fine. He'll work around mid-week, I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. (how far) . . . he won't need too much." The Santa Anita Handicap is the first leg of the MGM MGM in full Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. U.S. corporation and film studio. It was formed when the film distributor Marcus Loew, who bought Metro Pictures in 1920, merged it with the Goldwyn production company in 1924 and with Louis B. Mayer Pictures in 1925. Grand Classic Crown, which links the Big 'Cap, Hollywood Gold Cup The Hollywood Gold Cup is a Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred horses inaugurated in 1938 at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. It was run as a handicap race until 1997 when it was switched to weight-for-age conditions. and Del Mar's Pacific Classic - offering a bonus of $2 million for a sweep. Cigar has been listed the 8-1 future book favorite to sweep by Gene Kivi, vice president of race and sports for MGM Gand Hotel/Casino of Las Vegas. A sweep of the three $1-million races would be worth $3.8 million, comprised of $1.8 million in purses and the MGM Grand bonus. Mott still plans to "ship and run," as he did last summer when Cigar came west to win the Hollywood Gold Cup. Plans call for Cigar to arrive on Thursday or Friday of Big 'Cap week, depending on flight schedules. Del Mar Dennis to pass on Big 'Cap: Trudy McCaffery and John Toffan's Del Mar Dennis will not run in the Santa Anita Handicap, trainer Paco Gonzalez reported. Instead, the multiple graded stakes winner will either ship to the Fair Grounds for the $200,000-guaranteed New Orleans Handicap The New Orleans Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Open to horses four years old and up, the race is run at a distance of one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. It currently offers a purse of $500,000. (Gr. III) on March 10, or remain at Santa Anita and perhaps run in another classified allowance event. After that, the 6-year-old son of Dixieland Band will gun for an unprecedented third straight victory in $150,000-added San Bernardino Handicap (Gr. II) on March 30. "If (the Big 'Cap) was a mile-and-an-eighth, we might have run," Gonzalez said. "A mile-and-a-quarter is just a little too far for him - especially against a horse like Cigar." Le Silencieux faces challenge: Trainer Ralph Biszantz doesn't buy that stuff about Eclipse Award winner Northern Spur "needing a race." Biszantz, who sends out Irish-bred Le Silencieux in Monday's $200,000-added San Luis Obispo Handicap The San Luis Obispo Handicap is a race for Thoroughbred horses run at Santa Anita Park each year. The race is open to horses age four and up, willing to race one and one-half miles on the turf. A Grade II event, it offers a purse of $150,000. (Gr. II), said Northern Spur is clearly the horse to beat in the 1 1/2-mile turf race. "Champions are champions because they win races, period," Biszantz said. "Look at Cigar, look at Serena's Song . . . they come off the shelf and they don't miss a beat. Now, perhaps Northern Spur might be a little bit more vulnerable because he hasn't raced in several months." Biszantz isn't exactly coming into the San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo (săn l  `ĭs ōbĭs`pō), city (1990 pop. 41,958), seat of San Luis Obispo co., S Calif., near San Luis Obispo Bay; inc. 1856. empty-handed, Le Silencieux, whom he owns in partnership with his older brother, Gary Biszantz, made an explosive American debut at Santa Anita on Monday.
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