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

CIGAR DOING FINE
Trainer Bill Mott, who trains Horse of the Year Cigar, doesn't have a Derby horse but he's at Churchill Downs checking on his 29-horse Kentucky division this week.

When asked for an update on Cigar, he said, 'He's doing very well. He breezed at Belmont Park this past Monday, his first one since he arrived back from Dubai, and he's actually getting a little stronger each day and we're hoping to probably run him the first of June in the Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs [in Boston]. We're going to return for that.'

Mott believes Unbridled's Song will win the Derby. 'My favorite going into it and all winter long has been Unbridled's Song. I thought he was probably the most talented young horse I'd seen in a long time and I thought it would be an interesting matchup at the end of the year with Cigar and Unbridled's Song if they both made it that far. I have quite a high regard for him and I know he's been up against it this last week with his foot problems and the 20 post position. I guess I liked him all winter, I'll hang with him a little longer.' It's a 20-horse field, but I'd say 10 of them have a shot [to win].' (Unbridled's Song will break from post 19 after the scratch of City by Night.)

WEATHER FORECAST IS IFFY FOR DERBY DAY
The updated weather forecast for Derby Day, according to the National Weather Service Friday morning, calls for a partly sunny day Saturday with a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms around 4 p.m. The temperature is expected to reach 78 degrees.

THE STARS COME OUT FOR THE DERBY
The sports and entertainment worlds will be well represented Saturday at Churchill Downs. The updated list of celebrities who are scheduled to be on hand includes: Kelsey Grammar, Jerry Hall, George Strait, Sally Kellerman, Richard Dreyfuss, Dick Clark, Charles Bronson, Linda Carter, Luke Perry, Roger Ebert, Dixie Carter, Hal Holbrook, Steve Winwood, Paula Abdul, Walter Cronkite, Fuzzy Zoeller, George Foreman, Dick Vitale, Paul Hornung, Denny Crum, Rick Pitino, Dick Stockton, Carmen Policy, George Steinbrenner, Bryan Cox, Will Wolford and Fleetwood Mac members Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsay Buckingham, John McVie and Christine McVie.

DICK VITALE GIVES LIKES STEINBRENNER (HIS HORSE, THAT IS)
There were several sportscasters roaming the backstretch area at Churchill Downs Friday morning, taking in the Derby scene. Among them were Dick Vitale, Don Criqui and Bill Raftery. Vitale attended his first Derby a year ago and didn't want to miss this year.

First of all, I'm not a connoisseur of horse racing, I don't know the first thing about horse racing other than when I got to the barn here yesterday they told me Diligence was owned by George Steinbrenner of the Yankees and I've been a Yankee fan ever since I was a kid growing up in Jersey. So I went over and hugged the horse and gave the horse a pep talk, I usually give a lot of motivational talks, and I looked at his eyes and I said, 'this horse is listening to me. For once I've got someone listening to me. I said my guy's going to win. Diligence is going to win. I know nothing about it or why, but I'm going for Diligence.'

'Last year was the first year I came to the Derby and had a great time and got addicted to it and decided to come back. I'm having a lot of fun. Going to the parties and being part of the whole pomp and circumstance that is involved is exciting.'

THE 1929 DERBY WAS ONE FOR THE BOOKS
When Clyde Van Dusen (the name of both horse and trainer) won the 1929 Run for the Roses, nobody suspected he would become a statistician's dream. 1) He was the last gelding to win the race. 2) He was the only horse to win from post position 20. 3) He was the last horse whose dosage index was higher than 4.00 to win the Derby until Strike the Gold scored in 1991, a run of 61 straight qualifiers.

He was the final Derby ride for Linus 'Pony' McAtee, who won his final two Derbies. It was the only Derby starter for owner H.P. Gardner. It was one of the largest Derby fields ever; the 21 starters are only surpassed by the 22 who went to the post in 1928 and the record 23 who answered the starter's bell in 1974. It was also one of the slowest Derbies ever; Clyde Van Dusen ran the 1 1-4 miles in 2:10 4-5 over a muddy track, the fifth-worst time in Derby history. Nobody has run slower than 2:07 3-5 since.

ABC'S COVERAGE TO CAPTURE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF THE DERBY
Jim McKay and Al Michaels will anchor ABC's 1 1-2-hour broadcast on 'Wide World of Sports,' from 4:30-6:00 (EDT) with a 5:32 (EDT) post time. Charlsie Cantey and Dave Johnson will provide analysis with Johnson calling the race. Wireless microphones will be placed on several jockeys and eight miniature remote-controlled cameras will be fixed to the starting gate. A total of 28 cameras will capture the event, including hand-held, robotic, crane and airborne cameras.

Features will include a look back at the stirring victory of Unbridled in 1990. Owned by 92-year-old Francis Genter, Unbridled was the first horse that Genter had in the Derby in the 50 years she had been a Thoroughbred owner. The national television audience that year was treated to an unforgettable ABC Sports replay in which a deliriously happy Nafzger described the stretch run to Mrs. Genter. Another feature will profile Ernie Paragello, the outspoken owner of Unbridled's Song who 'guaranteed' a Triple Crown victory for his horse after winning last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Dixie Carter, who attends the Derby every year, will sing 'My Old Kentucky Home.'

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE A DERBY?
To prepare a Derby party for 130,000, as Churchill Downs does, you need the foloowing ingredients: 80,000 mint juleps; 75,000 hot dogs; 4,000 gallons of soft drinks; 2,000 kegs of beer; and 50,000 souvenirs. The Churchill Downs dining rooms will serve 2 1-2 tons of beef and one ton of shrimp.

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