Tokyo City Cup winner is a Dynamic Host

"I had an excellent trip. He broke slow like he always does, so I wasn't

worried about it," Flores explained. "He jumped in the bit the first time we got

to the first stretch so I had to take control of him. On the second turn I let

him get comfortable and he moved up to the leaders. I had to work hard from the

turn onwards because he's lazy when he gets the lead.

"He's got the ability to go that far, so the distance of the race was on our

side. I had great position in the race, and I took advantage of that. I'm glad

we came out in front."

Sent off the 5-1 third pick, Dynamic Host paid $13, $5.80 and $3.60. Dhaamer

finished 4 1/4 lengths in front of Skipshot, with Eldaafer, Graeme Crackerjack,

Twice the Appeal, Coluda and Highway Bandit completing the order under the wire.

"My horse tried hard but as soon as I got close to the winner he just took

off," said Rafael Bejarano, who piloted Dhaamer. "I thought I was going to catch

him because my horse showed me a big kick down the stretch, but the number eight

(Dynamic Host) kept running."

Dynamic Host has competed in only one other stakes contest, running fifth in

last year's Grade 2 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship. The Dynaformer gelding

was claimed by his current connections out of his last win in an August 25

optional claiming event at Del Mar, and since then has been 0-1-3 from five

starts. The dark bay improved his scorecard to read 27-5-7-6 with the Tokyo City

Cup score and has now earned $217,528.

"He was hanging in there tough through the stretch," Sherman said. "He

impressed me with his gameness, but sometimes he likes to hang. I was getting a

little nervous. It was an absolutely wonderful ride by David (Flores).

"The horse showed a lot of heart. Sometimes, David would tell me, he'd get

next to a horse and kind of just want to go with it. But he really bore down

this time. I was happy. He could go either way (next start, grass or dirt).

You've got your options. We could take a look at the (Grade 2) San Juan

(Capistrano at about 1 3/4 miles on turf) the last day here (April 22). I'll see

how he comes out of the race and how he's training."

Bred in Kentucky by Gaynor Rupert, Dynamic Host is out of the French Deputy

mare Hosta and counts stakes victor Elusive Pleasure as a half-brother. Hosta is

herself a half-sister to Colstar, who captured the Grade 1 Flower Bowl

Invitational Handicap in 2000. Other members of this family include Grade/Group

2 victors Montjoy and Wesley.