Cigar Mile

Strictly, it's the very reverse of what he's doing—which is actually to revert from two turns to one. In a sense, however, the return of Zandon (Upstart) to Aqueduct on Saturday will bring things full circle. For it was on the equivalent card last year that he began what has turned into a pretty frustrating sequence of races where, for one reason or another, he arguably hasn't quite realized his full potential. When you consider that these include the GI Kentucky Derby itself, that shows how much raw ability he...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 1st-AQU, $85K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 11:50 a.m. EDT Bill Mott unveils Stone Farm homebred BEARINGS (Candy Ride {Arg}) in this event. The chestnut is a full-sibling to Grade I-winning young sire Mastery and a half to SP Clear Sailing (Empire Maker). TJCIS PPs 7th-TAM, $32K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 3:35 p.m. EDT Red Oak Stable homebred WHITE HOLD GOLD (Candy Ride {Arg}) makes a very timely debut Saturday for Greg Sacco. She makes her first trip to the post just eight minutes before her half-brother...

The 2022 fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack will offer 33 stakes, 10 of them graded events, worth a total of $6.375 million. As previously announced, the Belmont Park fall meet will be held at Aqueduct due to the construction of vehicular and pedestrian tunnels designed to provide access to the Belmont Park infield. The Belmont at the Big A meet will begin on Thursday, Sept. 15 and continue through Sunday, Oct. 30. Following the conclusion of Belmont at the Big A., the 29-day Aqueduct fall meet will run from Friday,...

Bill Mott's patient handling paid off with the well-regarded Olympiad, who earned his graded stakes badge in the Mineshaft Saturday. Stalking Silver Prospector from second through early splits of :24.18 and :48.11, the even-money favorite turned up the heat on the backstretch run and jumped clear in the lane to win with ease. Silver Prospector held second and Miles D completed the trifecta. Graduating at Saratoga in September of 2020, Olympiad checked in second behind GI Runhappy Malibu S. runner-up Baby Yoda (Prospective) in a Saratoga allowance exactly 364 days...

In Todd we trust. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher completed a graded Pick 3, and an exacta, to close out the card in style at Aqueduct Saturday as the talented New York-bred Americanrevolution (Constitution) reeled in his stablemate and fellow 3-year-old and 'TDN Rising Star' Following Sea (Runhappy) in the GI Cigar Mile H. presented by NYRA Bets. Coming off an 11 3/4-length drubbing in the Empire Classic H. going 1 1/8 miles around one turn against state-breds in the slop with a gaudy 108 Beyer Speed Figure at...

Todd Pletcher has won the GI Cigar Mile four times with the most recent being the 2012 renewal won by Stay Thirsty (Bernardini). The Hall of Famer has a strong chance to take home his fifth Cigar Mile title Saturday when he saddles the two top choices Americanrevolution (Constitution) and Following Sea (Runhappy). Americanrevolution was moved to Pletcher after his debut and won his first three starts for his new barn, including dominant score in the state-bred New York Derby July 19 at Finger Lakes and Albany S. Aug. 27...

Independence Hall (Constitution), coming off a 7 1/4-length win in the GII Fayette S. at Keeneland Oct. 30, breezed a bullet half-mile in :46.80 (1/25) Saturday at Churchill Downs ahead of next Saturday's GI Cigar Mile. "I'm very happy with the way he worked," trainer Michael McCarthy said. "We wanted to go ahead and put a little air in his lungs and that's definitely what we got. A race like the Cigar Mile doesn't come around very often and we wanted to make sure we're nice and sharp." Independence Hall...

'TDN Rising Star' Following Sea (Runhappy) and the progressive Americanrevolution (Constitution) worked a half-mile in company in :49.21 over the Belmont training track Saturday morning, with both 3-year-old colts headed towards next Saturday's GI Cigar Mile, presented by NYRA Bets. Spendthrift Farm's Following Sea, two-back winner of the GII Vosburgh S., exits a third-place effort to Aloha West (Hard Spun) and Dr. Schivel (Violence) in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, while Americanrevolution ran up the score last time in the Oct. 30 Empire Classic, besting his New York-bred elders by...

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has solidified the stakes schedule for the 18-day Fall Meet at Aqueduct Racetrack, which will be held Friday, Nov. 5, through Sunday, Dec. 5. The meet will include 26 black-type events, including 10 graded stakes, with total stakes purses of $4.9 million. Saturday, Dec. 4, will undoubtedly be the most anticipated day of the meet with the $750,000 GI Cigar Mile H. for 3-year-olds and up held in addition to three other stakes. The Cigar Mile undercard will also feature the $250,000 GII Remsen...

GI Cigar Mile hero True Timber (Mineshaft) was not entered for Saturday's GI Pegasus World Cup S. after cooling out slightly lame Wednesday morning prior to the draw, trainer Jack Sisterson announced via Twitter. With the defection of True Timber, GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile victor Knicks Go (Paynter) was installed as the morning-line favorite in the 12-horse Pegasus. "True Timber came up slightly off cooling out this morning," Sisterson tweeted. "While it appears he might be able to run in the Pegasus, we always prioritize the best interest of...

Grade I winners Firenze Fire (Poseidon's Warrior) and Mind Control (Stay Thirsty) were both scratched from GI Cigar Mile Dec. 5 after heavy rains soaked the Aqueduct main track and will instead start in Saturday's GIII Mr. Prospector S. at Gulfstream. A Grade I winner at two, Firenze Fire won several graded stakes during his tenure for Jason Servis and was transferred to Kelly Breen after the former was federally indicted and removed from the racetrack. Fourth in the slop in the GI Carter H. in his first start for...

Kendrick Carmouche marked two professional milestones the week of Nov. 30 through Dec. 6. He won his first Grade I race with True Timber (Mineshaft) in the Cigar Mile on Saturday, then ended the week by earning his first NYRA riding title at the Aqueduct Fall Meet. The achievements earned Carmouche the title of Jockey of the Week. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in...