Cigar Mile Handicap

The Cigar Mile Handicap is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three-years-old and older held in late November or early December at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Typically New York's final Grade I thoroughbred stakes race of the year,[1] the Cigar Mile is run over a distance of one mile and carries a purse of $750,000.

Cigar Mile Handicap
Grade I race
LocationAqueduct Racetrack
Queens, New York, United States
Inaugurated1988 (as NYRA Mile Handicap)
Race typeThoroughbred – Flat racing
SponsorNYRA Bets (2021)
WebsiteNYRA
Race information
Distance1 mile (8 furlongs)
SurfaceDirt
Trackleft-handed
QualificationThree years old and older
WeightAssigned
Purse$750,000 (since 2021)

History

The inaugural running of the event, then known as the NYRA Mile Handicap or simply the NYRA Mile, was won in 1988 by three-year-old Forty Niner, who would later become an influential sire.[2] The race was eligible for graded stakes classification in 1990 and was awarded Grade I status by the American Graded Stakes Committee.[3]

The 1994 NYRA Mile was the second race in the 16-race win streak of Cigar, who won by seven lengths.[3] The event was renamed in 1997 following Cigar's retirement to the Cigar Mile Handicap.[4] Horses who have won the Cigar Mile on their way to championship honors include 2006 winner Discreet Cat (named one of the year's champion three-year-olds in the World's Best Racehorse Rankings), 2009 winner Kodiak Kowboy (winner of that year's Eclipse Award for Champion Sprinter), and 2019 victor Maximum Security (that year's Eclipse winner for Best Three-Year-Old Male).

Records

Speed record:

Margins:

  • 7 lengths – Cigar (1994)

Most wins:

Most wins by a jockey:

Most wins by a trainer:

Most wins by an owner:

Winners
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade Ref
Cigar Mile Handicap
2022 Mind Control 6 John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Red Oak Stable & Madaket Stables 1 mile 1:35.53 $750,000 I
2021 Americanrevolution 3 Luis Saez Todd A. Pletcher WinStar Farm & China Horse Club 1 mile 1:36.68 $750,000 I [5]
2020 True Timber 6 Kendrick Carmouche Jack Sisterson Calumet Farm 1 mile 1:36.49 $250,000 I [6]
2019 Maximum Security 3 Luis Saez Jason Servis Mary & Gary West 1 mile 1:36.46 $750,000 I [7]
2018 Patternrecognition 5 Jose L. Ortiz Chad C. Brown Klaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence 1 mile 1:34.98 $784,125 I [8]
2017 Sharp Azteca 4 Javier Castellano Jorge Navarro Ivan Rodriguez 1 mile 1:35.17 $750,000 I [9]
2016 Connect 3 Javier Castellano Chad C. Brown Paul P. Pompa Jr. 1 mile 1:35.34 $500,000 I [10]
2015 Tonalist 4 John R. Velazquez Christophe Clement Robert S. Evans 1 mile 1:37.14 $670,000 I [11]
2014 Private Zone 5 Martin A. Pedroza Alfredo Velazquez Good Friends Stable 1 mile 1:34.39 $753,750 I [12]
2013 Flat Out 7 Junior Alvarado William I. Mott Preston Stables 1 mile 1:34.68 $753,000 I [13]
2012 Stay Thirsty 4 Ramon A. Dominguez Todd A. Pletcher Repole Stable 1 mile 1:35.47 $343,000 I [14]
2011 To Honor and Serve 3 Jose Lezcano William I. Mott Live Oak Racing 1 mile 1:33.89 $250,000 I [15]
2010 Jersey Town 4 Cornelio Velasquez Barclay Tagg Charles E. Fipke 1 mile 1:34.43 $250,000 I [16]
2009 Kodiak Kowboy 4 Shaun Bridgmohan Steven M. Asmussen Fox Hill Farm & Vinery Stables 1 mile 1:35.57 $300,000 I [17]
2008 †Tale of Ekati 3 Edgar S. Prado Barclay Tagg Charles E. Fipke 1 mile 1:35.01 $300,000 I [18]
2007 Daaher 3 Michael J. Luzzi Kiaran P. McLaughlin Shadwell Racing 1 mile 1:33.79 $294,000 I [19]
2006 Discreet Cat 3 Garrett K. Gomez Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin Racing 1 mile 1:32.46 $294,000 I [20]
2005 Purge 4 Garrett K. Gomez Todd A. Pletcher Starlight Racing 1 mile 1:34.26 $350,000 I [21]
2004 Lion Tamer 4 Jose A. Santos Todd A. Pletcher Michael B. Tabor 1 mile 1:33.46 $350,000 I [22]
2003 Congaree 5 Jerry D. Bailey Bob Baffert Stonerside Stable 1 mile 1:34.30 $350,000 I [23]
2002 Congaree 4 Jerry D. Bailey Bob Baffert Stonerside Stable 1 mile 1:33.11 $350,000 I [24]
2001 Left Bank 4 John R. Velazquez Todd A. Pletcher Michael B. Tabor 1 mile 1:33.35 $350,000 I [25]
2000 El Corredor 3 Jerry D. Bailey Bob Baffert Hal Earnhardt III 1 mile 1:34.68 $350,000 I [26]
1999 Affirmed Success 5 Jorge F. Chavez Richard E. Schosberg Albert Fried Jr. 1 mile 1:34.18 $350,000 I [27]
1998 Sir Bear 5 Jerry D. Bailey Ralph Ziadie Barbara Smollin 1 mile 1:34.05 $300,000 I [28]
1997 Devious Course 5 Jorge F. Chavez H. James Bond Clarence Scharbauer Jr. 1 mile 1:34.80 $250,000 I [29]
NYRA Mile Handicap
1996 Gold Fever 3 Mike E. Smith Claude R. McGaughey III Cynthia Phipps 1 mile 1:34.98 $250,000 I [30]
1995 Flying Chevron 3 Robbie Davis James J. Toner Caesar P. Kimmel 1 mile 1:34.57 $250,000 I [31]
1994 Cigar 4 Jerry D. Bailey William I. Mott Madeleine Paulson 1 mile 1:36.10 $250,000 I [32]
1993 Race not held
1992 Ibero (ARG) 5 Laffit Pincay Jr. Ron McAnally Frank Whitham 1 mile 1:33.97 $500,000 I [33]
1991 Rubiano 4 Jose A. Santos Flint S. Schulhofer Centennial Farm 1 mile 1:33.68 $500,000 I [34]
1990 Quiet American 4 Chris McCarron Gary F. Jones Sheikh Mohammed 1 mile 1:32.80 $638,000 I [35]
1989 Dispersal 3 Angel Cordero Jr. Bud Delp Tom O. Myerhoff 1 mile 1:32.80 $581,000 [36]
1988 Forty Niner 3 William Fox Jr. Woodford C. Stephens Claiborne Farm 1 mile 1:34.00 $567,000 [2]

Notes:
† In the 2006 running of the event Harlem Rocker was first past the post in a photo finish by a nose margin but was disqualified for interference in the straight and was placed second. Tale of Ekati was declared the official winner of the event.

See also

External sites

References
  1. "Aloha West Could Give Eclipse a Dynamic Cigar Mile Duo". The Blood-Horse. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021. Aron Wellman, managing partner of the syndicate, said multiple graded stakes winner Independence Hall, a colt Eclipse owns in partnership, is confirmed for the final grade 1 race at NYRA for the calendar year in his last start before going to stud.
  2. Moran, Paul (23 October 1988). "7-1 Dispersal Wins NYRA Mile By Nose – (race 8: held 22 October 1988)". Baltimore Sun. The Associated Press. p. 71. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  3. "CIGAR MILE HANDICAP - MULTIPLE TRACKS". Thoroughbred Database. 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  4. "Cigar Mile Handicap Profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  5. "2021 Cigar Mile Handicap Presented by NYRA Bets Grade 1 - (race 10)". Equibase. 4 December 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  6. "2020 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 10)". Equibase. 5 December 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  7. "2019 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 10)". Equibase. 7 December 2019. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  8. "2018 Cigar Mile H. Presented by NYRA Bets Grade 1 - (race 9)". Equibase. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  9. "2017 Cigar Mile H. Presented by NYRA Bets Grade 1 - (race 10)". Equibase. 2 December 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  10. "2016 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 10)". Equibase. 26 November 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  11. "2015 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 9)". Equibase. 28 November 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  12. "2014 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 10)". Equibase. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  13. "2013 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 30 November 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  14. "2012 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 24 November 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  15. "2011 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 26 November 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  16. "2010 Hill 'N' Dale Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 9)". Equibase. 27 November 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  17. "2009 Hill 'N' Dale Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 9)". Equibase. 28 November 2009. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  18. "2008 Hill 'N' Dale Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 29 November 2008. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  19. "2007 Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 24 November 2007. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  20. "2006 Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 25 November 2006. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  21. "2005 Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 26 November 2005. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  22. "2004 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 9)". Equibase. 27 November 2004. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  23. "2003 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 9)". Equibase. 29 November 2003. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  24. "2002 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 9)". Equibase. 30 November 2002. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  25. "2001 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 24 November 2001. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  26. "2000 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 25 November 2000. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  27. "1999 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 27 November 1999. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  28. "1998 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 28 November 1998. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  29. "1997 Cigar Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 29 November 1997. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  30. "1996 NYRA Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 30 November 1996. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  31. "1995 NYRA Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 25 November 1995. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  32. "1994 NYRA Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 26 November 1994. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  33. "1992 NYRA Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 24 October 1992. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  34. "1991 NYRA Mile Handicap Grade 1 - (race 8)". Equibase. 26 October 1991. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  35. "Quiet American scores sizzling NYRA Mile win – (race 8: held 3 November 1990)". Lexington Herald-Leader. The Associated Press. 4 November 1990. p. 36. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  36. "7-1 Dispersal Wins NYRA Mile By Nose – (race 8: held 21 October 1989)". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). 22 October 1989. p. 179. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
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