Hollywood Gold Cup Should Be Smokin’ With Late Addition Of Undefeated Cigar

Horse racing

The Hollywood Gold Cup took on significance this week - and the possibility of an extra $250,000 in purse money - with the addition of the country’s No. 1 handicap horse, Cigar.

Trainer Bill Mott said Cigar, undefeated in 1995 and winner of eight consecutive races over two years, will run in the Gold Cup on July 2 at Hollywood Park.

The event will be simulcast at Playfair Race Course and Coeur d’Alene Greyhound Park.

Mott said the 5-year-old will fly to Inglewood, Calif., on Friday.

Officials at Hollywood Park announced that the purse would be raised from $750,000 to $1 million should Cigar and 1994 Breeders Cup Classic winner Concern enter.

Concern lost to Cigar in this year’s Oaklawn Handicap and Pimlico Special. Cigar, 6-0 in ‘95, carried two pounds less than Concern in the first meeting and one pound less in the second.The probable field for the 1

1/4-mile Gold Cup consists of Cigar, Jerry Bailey riding; Concern, Mike Smith; Best Pal, Chris McCarron; Tossofthecoin, Corey Nakatani; Tinners Way, Eddie Delahoussaye; Urgent Request, Gary Stevens; Del Mar Dennis, Alex Solis, and Blumin’ Affair, rider to be named.

Churchill Downs and a Tulsa,

Okla., firm have agreed to test an interactive wagering system that enables players to watch and bet races from their homes.

The Kentucky State Racing Commission gave its approval Wednesday to the project, scheduled to begin in Louisville by the middle of the summer and conclude by the end of 1995.

ODS Technologies, based in Tulsa, has a system allowing players to monitor tote boards and place bets electronically by using a television remote control.Experiments have been conducted in Pennsylvania and New York.

State Rep. Denny Dellwo, D-Spokane, has been added as a nonvoting member of the Washington Horse Racing Commission.