News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled by Thoroughbred Racing Communications, Inc. (TRC) (212.371.5911..)

CIGAR TOPS THE WORLD
American superstar Cigar and European three-year-old sensation Lammtarra were the top two horses in the world last year, according to a joint panel of the International Classification Committee and the North American Rating Committee. Horses were rated in three groups: two-year-olds, three-year-old and four-years-old and up and could be rated at one of five distances (except two-year-olds). Now a six-year-old, Cigar was rated at 132 pounds in both the Mile (7.5-9 furlongs) and Intermediate (9.5-11 furlongs) categories. Ranked second at 129 pounds were a pair of American-owned horses, Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Inside Information, owned by Ogden Mills Phipps and trained by Shug McGaughey, and Breeders' Cup Turf champion Northern Spur (IRE), owned by Charles Cella and trained by Ron McAnally. Six of the top ten older horses are based in the U.S.

The three-year-old list was headed at 130 pounds by Saeed Maktoum al Maktoum's Lammtarra, who became the first horse since Mill Reef in 1971 -- and the second overall -- to win the English Derby, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in the same year. European runner Bahri followed at 129, with probable the American champion colt and filly, Thunder Gulch and Serena's Song, along with Europeans Pentire (GB) and Breeders' Cup Mile champion Ridgewood Pearl (GB), all at 126.

MARYLAND TRACKS POST RECORD HANDLE IN 1995
The Maryland Jockey Club's two tracks, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, posted a record handle for 1995. Total handle exceeded more than $674 million, breaking last year's record-setting handle of $591 million, an increase of 14 percent. In-state handle for 1995 was $475 million. Wagering on simulcasts of Maryland races to out-of- state locations $198,961,216, an increase of more than 50 percent over 1994 figures.

TED BASSETT RECEIVES ECLIPSE AWARD OF MERIT
James E. 'Ted' Bassett III has been named the recipient of the Eclipse Award of Merit for 1995, it was announced today by the Thoroughbred Racing Associations. Bassett, 74, is chairman of the Keeneland Association, president of Breeders' Cup Ltd. and president of Equibase Company. He is also a member of The Jockey Club. Bassett began his career in the racing industry in 1968, when he joined Keeneland as an assistant to then-president Louis Lee Haggin II. After Haggin's death, Bassett was appointed president in 1970. He assumed the role of chairman at Keeneland in 1986, and was elected a trustee in 1993.

Past recipients of the Eclipse Award of Merit, which was inaugurated in 1976, include Alfred G. Vanderbilt, Paul Mellon, Fred W. Hooper, Steve Cauthen, Ogden M. Phipps, Robert P. Strub and John Forsythe. The Eclipse Awards ceremony will be held Friday, Feb. 9 at the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, Calif.

MICHAEL MARTEN WINS PHOTO ECLIPSE AWARD
Michael Marten, chief photographer for 'Daily Racing Form,' has been awarded an Eclipse Award for his photo of Thunder Gulch breaking out of the gate in the Travers Stakes. The award was judged by a panel of photojournalists and photo editors.

CHARITY SUES BAY MEADOWS
The Bay Meadows Foundation, a non-profit charity, has sued Bay Meadows Race Course because the San Mateo, Calif., racetrack subtracted part of its annual overhead expenses from its charitable funds in violation of state law. California law requires tracks conducting more tham 14 weeks of racing annually to have five or more 'charity days' in which proceeds benefit special charitable foundations. The suit by the Bay Meadows Foundation charges that the track claimed there were no charitable proceeds from the charity days in 1992 and only $76,000 from the events in 1993.

DALE BAIRD WINS TRAINER'S TITLE AGAIN
Trainer Dale Baird sent out more winners than any other U.S. trainer in 1995 for the fifth consecutive year, saddling 287. Baird has now been the nation's leading trainer in number of victories 12 times. All his 1995 wins were at Mountaineer Park in Chester, W.Va.

RACING ON THE AIR
Jan. 6 'Racehorse Digest' 6:00-6:30 a.m., ESPN
Jan. 10 'Racehorse Digest' 4:00-4:30 p.m., ESPN
Jan. 12 'Racehorse Digest' midnight-12:30 a.m., ESPN
Jan. 13 'Racehorse Digest' 6:00-6:30 a.m., ESPN

RACING TO HISTORY

Jan. 4, 1946: Canadian-born jockey George Woolf, known as 'The Iceman' for his coolness in the saddle, died after falling head first from his mount, Please Me, during a race at Santa Anita Park the previous day. He was 35. During his career (1928-1946) Woolf had 3, 784 mounts, 721 wins, 589 seconds and 468 thirds, with earnings of $2, 856,125. Since 1950, Santa Anita Park has annually presented the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award to a rider who demonstrates high standards of personal and professional conduct, on and off the racetrack.

Jan. 5, 1980: Spectacular Bid began his undefeated four-year-old season, winning the Malibu Stakes by five lengths at Santa Anita. The grey colt finished his 1980 campaign a perfect nine-for-nine. Jan. 11, 1950: Five-year-old Citation returned to racing at Santa Anita Park, having been sidelined by injury since December 1948. Sent off at odds of 3-20, he won easily over a sloppy surface to log his sixteenth consecutive victory. His winning margins for those races totalled 59 1-2 lengths.

Jan. 13, 1978: Seattle Slew, in training for his four-year-old seasonal debut at Hialeah, first displayed symptoms of the deadly virus Colitis X. The colt was sidelined until May 14, when he won an allowance race at Aqueduct Racetrack as the 1-10 favorite.

Jan. 14, 1932: Jockey Eddie Arcaro rode his first career winner, at Agua Caliente.

Jan. 14, 1953: Pimlico's Preakness Stakes, originally slated for May 16, was put back to May 23, allowing a three-week layover after the Kentucky Derby for the first time.

Jan. 14, 1989: Jockey Kent Desormeaux scored his 1,000th career win in the 10th race at Laurel Racecourse, aboard Eesee's Taw, in the Francis Scott Key Handicap.

WEEKEND STAKES

SATURDAY
Appleton Handicap, 3&up;, $100,000, 1 1-16 Miles Turf, Grade III, Gulfstream
Monrovia Handicap, 4&up; (f&m;), $100,000, 6 1-2 Furlongs Turf, Grade III, Santa Anita

SUNDAY
El Conejo Handicap, 4&up;, $100,000, 5 1-2 Furlongs, Santa Anita
Spectacular Bid Breeders' Cup Stakes, 3yo, $75,000, 6 Furlongs, Grade III, Gulfstream

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