Not many horses win a race then has it renamed in their honor a few years later.
But there are not many horses like Cigar, who won 16 races in a row, went 10-for-10 in 1995, and was a two-time Horse of the Year.
2024 Cigar Mile: Grade 1 Talent in a Grade 2 Race
Three years after dominating the 1994 NYRA Mile, the race became the Cigar Mile. And on Saturday at Aqueduct, it’s the annual grand finale of New York’s graded stakes.
Post Time. NYRA/Coglianese Photo.
The race was downgraded to a Grade 2 before last year’s running, but this renewal has a Grade 1 feel. Mullikin, Senor Buscador, Book’em Danno and Locked all have won at the top level.
The Cigar completes an all-stakes pick 3 that begins with 2025 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks points races, the Remsen for 2-year-old males and the Demoiselle for juvenile fillies. Qualifying points will be awarded on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis to the first five finishers.
For those who bet horse racing, here’s a suggested play for a $36 pick 3 ticket ($1 base bet).
$250,000 Remsen (G2), 1 1/8 miles, 2:36 p.m. ET post
It’s the first time these 2-year-olds will go this far, creating more handicapping guesswork than usual. Speedy Keewaydin (5), stretching out from 7 furlongs for Chad Brown, may have a pace advantage. Studlydoright (4) is the most experienced, with three wins and two seconds in six starts. He also has a strong distance pedigree (by Nyquist out of a Curlin mare). Tux (1), a son of stamina influence Tapit, cruised in his debut, so maybe he’s more precocious than most of his sire’s offspring.
Use 1,4,5
$250,000 Demoiselle (G2), 1 1/8 miles, 3:05 p.m. post
Trainer Brad Cox is on a roll with undefeated 2-year-old fillies Immersive (Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner) and Good Cheer, both 4-for-4. He may have another star in 2-for-2 Muhimma (1), the Demoiselle favorite after crushing sprints by a combined 13 lengths.
Muhimma’s main competition may come from Bless the Broken (6), a rallying second going 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs for up-and-coming trainer Will Walden. The wild card could be Bill Mott’s Beauty Reigns (8), coming off a debut win at Aqueduct. Bred for distance (by perennial leading sire Into Mischief out of a Tapit mare), she may improve at 9 furlongs.
Use 1,6,8
$500,000 Cigar Mile (G), 3:35 p.m. post
Locked (7) scored by 7½ lengths at Aqueduct on Oct.19 in his 2024 3-year-old debut. The son of hot sire Gun Runner was highly regarded last year, when he posted unusually strong late-pace figures for a juvenile. He has a good chance to give trainer Todd Pletcher his seventh Cigar Mile trophy.
Maryland shipper Post Time (11) is 14-for-14 in the money lifetime and 2-for-3 at a one-turn mile. Book’em Danno (1) has tactical speed, finishing punch and never has been off the board in 10 races. He nearly beat Japanese star Forever Young (third by two noses in the Kentucky Derby) at a one-turn mile. Star sprinter Mullikin (5) tries the distance for the first time but won his last three tries at 7 furlongs. Could stalk likely quick fractions and pounce.
Use 1,5,7,11
The numbers: 1,4,5 with 1,6,8 with 1,5,7,11