Cigar Mile Handicap: Zandon looks the one to beat

By Rick Francis —-

Though talk of the “Greatest” of all-time racehorses always comes back to Secretariat and the Triple Crown champions through history, one can never and should never overlook the great, “Incomprable Cigar”. A winner of 19 from 33 starts, including 16-straight with then 10 of Grade 1 status, now 13, he retired in 1996 with earnings of nearly $10 million. As racing fans were captivated by this year’s latest “super” horse Flghtline, die-hard patrons of the game will never forget the great Cigar!

Race 9) 1 Mile. Cigar Mile H. Presented by NYRA Bets PRESENTED BY NYRA BETS. Grade I. Purse $750,000 A HANDICAP FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD. Post Time: ( 3:43)/ 2:43/ 1:43/12:43

1) Double Crown (Cash/Acosta); closed solidly here to win the Grade 2 Kelso by almost two lengths. Owns a win and a pair of seconds from three try’s at the distance.

2) Zandon (Brown/Rosario); co,lt out of Upstart has finished in the money in each of his eight career starts.Blue Grass winner has dueled with the best of his generation, including potential 3-year-old Eclipse champ Epicenter. Connections want this win big-time.

3) White Abarrio (Joseph/Ortiz, I.); Florida Derby victor has struggled at the Grade 1 level since, losing last two attempts in the Haskell and Penn Derby by open lengths. Jock change to rough riding Irad is a plus.

4) Get Her Number (Miller/Saez); ships in from the West Coast following a game head score over pricey OC’s. If you like how Del Mar plays to Aqueduct, use.

5) O Besos (Foley/Ortiz,J.); SCRATCHED due to Churchill Quarentine.

6) Outlier (Cash/Bastista); enters off 3-straight 2nds facing considerably lesser; probably could fill out deep supers.

7) Mind Control (Pletcher/Vlazquez); a 4-time winner and at the route. In the money with 20-of-28 starts; can’t ignore in any wager.

Selections: 2, 7, 3, 1

Cigar wins the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Classic to complete a perfect 10-for-10 season. (Blood-Horse Library/Skip Dickstein)