Da Hoss, who famously returned from a long layoff to become a two-time winner of the Breeders' Cup Mile, died Sunday at the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington. The Gone West gelding, who had just turned 30, had resided at the Park's Hall of Champions since 2000.  “We will miss Da Hoss greatly. He was a fan favorite as he proved that spirit can triumph over adversity,” Nicole Rivera, interim deputy executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park, said in a press release. “I would like to extend a special thank you to Rob Willis and the Hall of Champions staff for the great care and affection they showed Da Hoss during his time here at the park.” Da Hoss began his career for Wall Street Racing and trainer Kevin Eikleberry, winning all three starts as a juvenile in 1994, including the ATBA Sales Stakes at Turf Paradise. Prestonwood Farm then purchased an 85 percent interest in the young horse, sending him to trainer Michael Dickinson and Joan Wakefield at the Fair Hill Training Center.  Da Hoss finished first or second in his first eight starts for that barn, with victories in the Grade 2 Jersey Derby and Grade 2 Del Mar Derby, and runner-up efforts in the Grade 2 Gotham Stakes, Grade 2 Illinois Derby, Grade 2 Swaps Stakes, and Grade 2 Pegasus Handicap. He concluded the 1995 season by finishing 13th in the Breeders' Cup Sprint on a sloppy track at Belmont Park, and then third in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby, his first top-level outing on turf.  Da Hoss returned to the races after a seven-month break to finish third in the Grade 3 Poker Handicap in his 1996 debut, then won the Grade 3 Fourstardave Stakes at Saratoga. After an easy victory in the Pennsylvania Governor's Cup, he was second by a head to Same Old Wish in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap on the Belmont turf in preparation for the Breeders' Cup, hosted by Woodbine on Oct. 26, 1996. Sent away as the lukewarm third choice in the Mile, Da Hoss drove to a 1 1/2-length victory under Gary Stevens.  Da Hoss was subsequently plagued by injuries and did not race for nearly two years. Following patient handling by Dickinson, he was victorious in his return to the races, in an allowance race on Oct. 11, 1998, at Colonial Downs. In the 1998 Breeders' Cup Mile on Nov. 7 at Churchill Downs, Da Hoss gave the event one of its more memorable moments when he turned back Hawksley Hill in the lane for a head victory under John Velazquez, prompting announcer Tom Durkin to exclaim, "This is the greatest comeback since Lazarus!” The 1998 Mile proved the final start for Da Hoss, who retired with a mark of 20-12-5-2 and earnings of $1,931,558.  “He was our horse of a lifetime,” Dickinson said. “We all loved him. He brought us so many highs, even with his problems, we knew he would never let us down. He gave his all and loved to win. He was spoiled but deserved to be.”