KENTUCKY DERBY NOTEBOOK: GIVE THAT HALL A CIGAR.

Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Cigar's election to the thoroughbred racing Hall of Fame, announced Tuesday, sent a message to anybody who would judge horses solely on their Triple Crown performances.

Cigar wasn't even a candidate to run in the Kentucky Derby while racing on turf as a 3-year-old. He began his record-tying 16-race winning streak after switching to the main track late in his 4-year-old season and was Horse of the Year in 1995 and 1996.

Retired to stud by owner Allen Paulson after 1996, only to prove sterile, Cigar made the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, beating out Ancient Title and Precisionist in the ``contemporary male'' category.

``You don't always get the results right away (with a talented horse),'' said Bill Mott, Cigar's trainer in his prime.

Mott thinks people are rushing to judgment if they think the current crop of Kentucky Derby horses is sub-par.

``That's unfair,'' he said. ``What you probably have is some horses who could be late-developing horses.''

Mott, himself a Hall of Fame member, will run Blue Burner in the Derby on Saturday. Mott's previous Derby starters finished 13th, eighth and 14th.

Blue Burner, owned by George Steinbrenner's Kinsman Stable, chased Derby favorite Harlan's Holiday during the winter in Florida and finished fifth most recently at the Wood Memorial in New York.

--Westrope elected: Jack Westrope, whose 2,467 riding victories were the eighth-most of all time when he died in a fall during the 1958 Hollywood Oaks at Hollywood Park, was elected to the Hall of Fame in balloting over Kent Desormeaux and Eddie Maple.

Bud Delp, trainer of 1979 Kentucky Derby winner Spectacular Bid, was elected over Sonny Hine and Mel Stute.

In other equine categories, Serena's Song defeated Dance Smartly and Flawlessly among ``contemporary females'' and Noor was the choice over Morvich and Swoon's Son among ``horses of yesteryear.''

--Sorry, we're full: Some owners figure to go home disappointed after the field is set today for the Kentucky Derby. Entries are due this morning and post positions will be determined this evening.

As many as 24 horses are expected to be entered in the race that is limited to the 20 with the highest earnings in graded stakes. USS Tinosa, fifth in the Santa Anita Derby, and Sunday Break, third in the Wood Memorial, won't make the field unless some horses drop out.

Mayakovsky, fourth in the Santa Anita Derby, qualifies for the Kentucky Derby but had been unlikely to run in it until he was scratched from the muddy-track Derby Trial last Saturday. A decision by owner Michael Tabor is due after Mayakovsky works out today.

The $15,000 entry fees are refunded to owners whose horses don't get into the race.

--Cool running: Harlan's Holiday was among five horses putting in their final pre-Derby workouts on a pleasant Tuesday morning at Churchill Downs. The race favorite breezed half a mile in 49 3/5 seconds with jockey Edgar Prado aboard.

The consistent colt didn't turn a hair when he encountered a crowd of reporters and other observers on his walk to the track. ``Nothing bothers him at all,'' trainer Ken McPeek said.

Also at Churchill, recent Bob Baffert acquisition War Emblem worked 5 furlongs in 1:00 2/5, Essence of Dubai worked 5 furlongs in 1:01 4/5 and Blue Grass Stakes third-place finisher Ocean Sound went half a mile in 47 1/5. At Louisville's Trackside Training Center, Spiral Stakes winner Perfect Drift went 5 furlongs in 1:00 3/5.

--Oaks lineup: Take Charge Lady, who could give McPeek the first Oaks-Derby double since Ben Jones' with Real Delight and Hill Gail in 1952, drew post 9 of 10 and was made the 2-1 morning-line favorite for the Kentucky Oaks for 3-year-old fillies, to be run Friday.

e-mail from the Churchill Downs

Subject: Daily e-mail from the Kentucky Derby

Date: April 29, 2002

From: Kevin Modesti

To: Daily News Readers

First-time Kentucky Derby-goers are awed by the sight of the famed Twin Spires pointing straight up from the grandstand roof. In my 10th time covering the Derby, I'm awed by the enduring presence of a seventy-something racing writer who can't stand up straight anymore because of the effects of Parkinson's disease.

Daily Racing Form columnist Joe Hirsch, a living icon of the sport, is back for his 46th Derby. When I drove from the airport to the track Monday evening, Hirsch was one of the handful of writers still at work in the press box. His condition hasn't stopped him from being away from his New York home nonstop - for races in Florida and California and now here - since January.

Recently, Hirsch wrote, with cool wit, about his 10 favorite runnings of the Derby, leading with 1957 because of the ``bizarre events'' in which Bill Shoemaker misjudged the finish line while riding Gallant Man and allowed Iron Liege to win a race that included Round Table and Bold Ruler. He's looking forward to Saturday's edition.

``It's a good betting race,'' Hirsch said. ``I've got it narrowed down to 10 horses.''

Hope they make it another one to remember for Joe Hirsch.

- Kevin Modesti

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