ARCADIA, Calif. -- Showing a flair for drama, Tiznow needed most of the stretch to take control of Saturday's $190,800 San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes at Santa Anita.

But when Tiznow did launch his rally, there was little doubt to the outcome or why he is the likely Horse of the Year for 2000.

	The San Fernando was Tiznow's fourth consecutive win, a streak that included the Super Derby, Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap and Breeders' Cup Classic last fall.

Making his first start since winning the Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs last November, Tiznow ($2.60) began his 4-year-old campaign with a stylish victory that suggests he will have a big season in 2001.

His backers will be hoping there are fewer anxious moments in the future as there was on the final turn of the Grade 2 San Fernando.

Tiznow, who stalked pacesetter Wooden Phone on the first turn and the backstretch, was third entering the stretch, behind Wooden Phone and Walkslikeaduck.

Racing three-wide, Tiznow responded to jockey Chris McCarron's urging to take the lead in the final eighth, winning by 1 1-4 lengths over Walkslikeaduck. "He got away well and showed his usual speed," McCarron said. "He was able to gallop around the turn and down the backstretch.

"At the three-eighths pole, the running started. He didn't quicken as fast as the other two. But at the three-sixteenths pole, he was in high gear and I was very confident."

Racing before an ontrack crowd of 14,068, Tiznow fnished 1 1-16 miles in 1:42.05. Walkslikeaduck finished three-quarters of a length in front of Wooden Phone, who was followed by New Advantage, Nurdlinger and Remember Sheikh. Grey Memo, David Copperfield, Jekyll and Hyde, Capo di Capo and Tribunal were scratched Saturday morning.

Tiznow was the subject of several large bets in the show pool, attracting $206,340 of the $240,727 bet in the pool, which had a minus pool of $33,046. The San Fernando was Tiznow's fourth consecutive win, a streak that included the Super Derby, Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap and Breeders' Cup Classic last fall. A 4-year-old owned by Michael Cooper and Cecilia Straub Revocable Trust, Tiznow has won 6 of 10 starts and $3,544,830.

"It was more exciting than I hoped for," Cooper said. "I think he likes a mile and a quarter and he showed a lot of character to beat these horses over a mile and a sixteenth."

"I don't think this is best distance but this was a good place to start. He can run 12-second eighths all day but these horses can test him at a mile and a sixteenth. I thought for a moment we were beat. I forgot how tough Tiznow is."

Tiznow, who overcome problems with both front feet in the weeks leading up to the San Fernando, will be pointed for the $500,000 Strub Stakes over 1 1-8 miles at Santa Anita on Feb. 3, trainer Jay Robbins said.

"The track probably helped his foot problems because it had a good cushion," Robbins said. "Hopefully, he comes back as healthy as he went in."