IT COULD BE A CLASSIC : CIGAR, DARE AND GO MEET AGAIN IN FIELD OF 14.

Byline: Ed Schuyler Jr. Associated Press 

The careers of Cigar and Ricks Natural Star are riches and rags stories - one a multimillionaire Horse of the Year, the other an obscure claiming horse who's earned a little more than $6,000.

Today, both will be in the Breeders' Cup, with Cigar, the early 4-5 favorite, trying for a second straight win in the $4 million Classic, and Ricks Natural Star, a 99-1 shot, running in the $2 million Turf amid wonderment.

``I think his (Ricks Natural Star) involvement in the race will last about 30 yards,'' said trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who will start a total of 10 horses in six of the seven races in a bid to add to his Breeders' Cup record of 12 victories.

Other story lines are 3-year-old filly Yanks Music challenging males in the Classic; trainer Ron McAnally trying for a fourth Distaff victory with an Argentine-bred filly, and Barbara Minshall of Canada taking shots in three races with horses she co-owns and trains and that were bred by her late husband.

Cigar, one of the most popular horses in a long time, has gotten most of the media attention since his arrival at Woodbine on Wednesday. The 6-year-old will be backed heavily at the betting windows as he tries for an 18th victory in his last 20 starts.

A win would be worth $2,080,000 and boost Cigar's career earnings over $11.5 million.

The Classic, however, doesn't figure to be just a benefit for Cigar.

``I think we got a hell of a field of horses in the Classic, as good as we've ever had,'' said Lukas, whose 3-year-old Editor's Note can throw in a big race on occasion, as he did in the Belmont Stakes and the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs.

Two other contenders in the 14-horse field are the Dick Mandella-trained Dare and Gold, a stretch-runner who snapped Cigar's 16-race winning streak with a victory in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, and Atticus, a wire-to-wire winner of the Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park in only his second start on dirt.

Cigar again will be ridden by Jerry Bailey, trying for his fifth win in six years in the 1-1/4-mile Classic. He won on Black Tie Affair in 1991, then in 1993-95 with Arcangues, Concern and Cigar.

Before Cigar's arrival, a lot of attention was given to Ricks Natural Star, vanned to Toronto from New Mexico by William Livingston, a veterinarian who bought the 7-year-old gelding three months ago and trains him.

Ricks Natural Star, ridden by Lisa McFarland, has won twice in 23 starts and has not raced since Aug. 25, 1995. His last nine starts were for $2,500, $3,500 or $4,000 claiming tags at Sunland Park and Ruidoso Downs.

It was because two pre-entered horses did not enter that Ricks Natural Star was able to get into the 14-horse field for the 1-1/2-mile Turf, which will be his debut on grass and his first race at more than one mile.

The favorite in the Turf is the entry of Singspiel, Shantou, Swan and Wall Street, owned by members of the Maktoum family of Dubai. Singspiel won the Canadian International Sept. 29 at Woodbine.

Yanks Music, who has the 3-year-old filly championship virtually clinched, will be making her debut against males in the Classic.

``Basically, it was the owners' decision,'' said trainer Leo O'Brien, who preferred to run Yanks Music, winner of five of seven starts this year, against fillies and mares. Then he added, ``But I'm a gambler, too.''

The favorite in the Distaff will be Different, McAnally's 4-year-old Argentine-bred filly, unbeaten in four U.S. starts, who was supplemented to the race by owner Sidney Craig for $200,000. McAnally's other Argentine-bred Distaff winners were Bayakoa in 1989-90 and Paseana in 1992.

One of Different's challengers in the 1-1/8-mile race, reduced to six starters by the scratch of Mysteriously because of an ankle problem, will be the Lukas-trained Serena's Song, champion 3-year-old filly of 1995, who will be seeking her first win in three Breeders' Cup races.

Minshall will start Mt. Sassafras in the Classic, Kiridashi in the Mile and Barbed Wire in the Juvenile Fillies.

Barbed Wire, winner of two of four starts, including a stakes, all at Woodbine, would appear to be Minshall's best chance at a victory. The favorite in the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile Fillies is Storm Song.

The favorite in the Mile on the grass, the only race in which Lukas doesn't have a starter, is Britain-based Mark Of Esteem, winner of the important Queen Elizabeth II Stakes in his last start at Ascot.

Favored in the 1 1/16-mile Juvenile is Ordway, winner of the Champagne at Belmont Park. The filly Capote Belle is a lukewarm favorite in the 6-furlong Sprint.

The 13th Breeders' Cup is worth a total of $11 million.

BREEDERS' CUP AT A GLANCE

The event: Seven thoroughbred races, five on dirt and two on turf, at distances ranging from 6 furlongs to 1-1/2 miles, matching top international fields of varying ages and specialties.

Where: Woodbine, the racetrack near Toronto, becomes the first non-U.S. host for the Breeders' Cup.

When: The first race, the $1 million Juvenile Fillies, is scheduled for 10:50 a.m. PDT, followed by the $1 million Sprint (11:25), the $1 million Distaff (noon), the $1 million Mile (12:35 p.m.), the $1 million Juvenile (1:10), the $2 million Turf (1:50) and the $4 million Classic (2:35).

TV: Coverage begins at 10:30 a.m. on Channel 4.

Where to bet: Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, Fairplex Park, Los Alamitos and other satellites will take wagers beginning at 8:30 a.m. Santa Anita's gates will open at 8 a.m. Wagers include the Breeders' Cup Pick 7, which challenges fans nationwide to select the winners of every race. The first of three non-Breeders' Cup races from Woodbine is at 9. The first of seven Santa Anita races is at 3 p.m.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box

PHOTO (1) Taiki Blizzard, the only Japanese entry i n today's Breeders' Cup, has the Woodbine Racetrack to himself as he gets in a dawn workout Friday.

(2) Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, in cowboy hat, prepMares Serena's Song for today's $1 million Distaff race in a pre-dawn workout.

Associated Press

Box: BREEDERS' CUP AT A GLANCE (see text)