Da Hoss

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.

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 Governors' Cup.

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. He then came back, ridden by John Velazquez, to take his second Breeders' Cup by a nose over Hawksley Hill. 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.