Aqueduct: Cigar Mile, Demoiselle & Remsen Previews

Posted On 02 Dec 2025

By Mary Eddy —-

Bishops Bay goes for graded double in G2 Cigar Mile H.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – KAS Stables’ recently-acquired Bishops Bay will look to double up on graded wins at Aqueduct Racetrack when taking on Saturday’s Grade 2, $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap for 3-year-olds and up.

The Cigar Mile [Race 10] is one of six stakes races on Saturday’s 11-race card, which includes a pair of Grade 2, $250,000 tilts for juveniles with the Remsen in Race 9 and the Demoiselle for fillies in Race 3. The card also features the Grade 3, $250,000 Elite Power in Race 5 and two $500,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series events at seven furlongs for eligible state-sired juveniles in the Great White Way [Race 11] and Fifth Avenue for fillies [Race 8]. First post is 11:20 a.m. Eastern.

Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, Bishops Bay makes his first start for KAS Stables after the Saudi Arabian-based owner purchased him for a sale-topping $1.3 million on November 12 at the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale. Just 10 days prior, the 5-year-old Uncle Mo bay notched his third Grade 3 win of the year with a prominent three-quarter-length score over Nelson Avenue in the Forty Niner over Saturday’s course and distance.

“It was a solid run and we had been pointing for that race since Saratoga,” Cox said. “He’s a good-training horse and we thought he was going to run well, and he did. We’ve been pointing for this ever since. He’s a multiple graded stakes winner and a beautiful horse, so hopefully we can add to it on Saturday.”

The Forty Niner came in his first effort in more than two months, previously finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Forego on August 23 at Saratoga Race Course, where he cut back to shorter than one mile for the first time since his career debut and stumbled at the start. That effort was the only time he has finished worse than second in 12 lifetime outings, and came on the back of a pair of Grade 3 scores over wet tracks in the local one-mile Westchester in May and Monmouth Park’s Salvator Mile in June.

Cox said Bishops Bay has trained forwardly at Belmont Park under the watchful eye of assistant trainer Dustin Dugas.

“He’s done well and he likes it there in New York,” Cox said. “He’s been there basically since the spring and has trained well there at Belmont. He’s run well this year and we’re looking forward to giving him a shot here in the Cigar Mile. He’s always been a good work horse ever since he was a 2-year-old and he seems to be doing as well as he ever has.”

Bishops Bay flashed his talents as a sophomore, winning his first two starts before a pair of Grade 3 seconds when a head back of subsequent Champion 3-Year-Old Colt Arcangelo in the Peter Pan at Belmont Park and behind Two Phil’s in the Ohio Derby at Thistledown. The colt did not return for another 17 months, but did so victoriously last November at Horseshoe Indianapolis before heading to Oaklawn Park to commence his current campaign.

Cox added he is grateful for the opportunity to continue training Bishops Bay after his recent purchase, which was made with Middle Eastern aspirations in mind.

“It’s nice that these owners stepped up and bought him for big money and kept him with us,” Cox said. “Hopefully we can do some good for them, and we’re looking forward to Saturday. We’ll see how things go, but we’ll try to get him to the Middle East and Saudi in February. One step at a time, but if he performs well Saturday, we’ll take that next step.”

Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Bishops Bay has banked $702,800 through a 12-8-3-0 record. He initially sold for $450,000 as a yearling, and boasts an additional stakes victory in this year’s restricted American Pharoah at Oaklawn.

Flavien Prat will ride from post 7 carrying a co-field-high 125 pounds.

Graded stakes-winner Crazy Mason [post 4, Irad Ortiz, Jr., 124 pounds] returns to the scene of his neck score in the seven-furlong Grade 2 Carter presented by NYRA Bets in April for trainer Gregg Sacco.

Campaigned by Donna Wright and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, the 4-year-old Coal Front colt utilized his signature deep-closing style to wear down Quint’s Brew in the lane and notch his first graded win. Since then, the consistent gray has hit the board in 3-of-4 efforts, including a 1 3/4-length third to Book’em Danno in the Grade 1 Forego.

Crazy Mason enters from a fast-finishing second in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Vosburgh presented by Army Mule on September 27 here, landing 1 1/2 lengths back of the victorious Patriot Spirit. He will contest a distance beyond sprinting for the first time since finishing a distant third in the one-mile and 70-yard Long Branch around two turns last May at Monmouth Park.

“It’s a nice, tight competitive field. It’s going to be a tough task, but we are ready for the challenge,” Sacco said. “He’s gone seven-eighths, he’s gone two turns, which is not his game, but I think the one-turn mile should be within his scope. Certainly looked like it the way he galloped out in races going seven furlongs.”

Sacco said he has had the Cigar Mile circled since the Vosburgh.

“We skipped the Forty Niner to give him a little freshener after the Vosburgh,” Sacco said. “Just wanted to have him as sharp as he could be going into his last race of the season here. Everything has gone according to plan. His appetite, energy levels have been good, we are looking forward to a good effort on Saturday.”

Jupiter Stable’s Phileas Fogg [post 6, Joel Rosario, 125 pounds, blinkers ON] looks to return to winning ways after a three-quarter-length second to last year’s Cigar Mile-winner Locked in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Woodward on September 27.

Trained by Gustavo Rodriguez, the 5-year-old Astern gelding set the pace in the three-horse Woodward field and was collared late by the dual Grade 1-winning Locked. That effort saw him earn a 97 Beyer Speed Figure compared to a career-high 105 he was awarded one start prior in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in August at Saratoga Race Course when crossing the wire third before being disqualified and unplaced.

Phileas Fogg holds a 5-3-2-0 record at the Big A, led by route stakes victories in the nine-furlong Listed Queens County last December and the 10-furlong Listed Excelsior in April. He then finished a three-quarter-length second to Awesome Aaron in the Grade 3 Pimlico Special, but broke through in his next attempt when providing Rodriguez with his first graded win in this year’s Grade 2 Suburban presented by Subourbon in July at Saratoga Race Course.

Each of Phileas Fogg’s last seven outings have come around two turns, and his last effort going this distance was a 3 3/4 lengths optional claiming win last September here. Since being haltered by Rodriguez for $62,500 out of a turf optional claimer last July, Phileas Fogg has hit the board in 8-of-9 starts, his lone blemish the aforementioned Jockey Club Gold Cup.

“He’s doing beautiful and I’ll work him one more time,” Rodriguez said. “I think he’ll be OK with the cutback. A mile and an eighth or a mile and a quarter is better for him, but it is what it is. He won here going one mile, and I know it wasn’t a stakes race, but he ran good that day. We gave him a little break, and now it’s showtime.”

Completing the field are multiple stakes-winning New York-bred Doc Sullivan [post 1, Ricardo Santana, Jr., 120 pounds], a last-out winner of the local seven-furlong NYSSS Thunder Rumble for trainer John Ortiz; Mika [post 2, Manny Franco, 114 pounds], who has won his last two starts by a combined 23 1/2 lengths for trainer Mike Maker; last-out allowance-winner Pentathlon [post 3, Junior Alvarado, 118 pounds], who makes his stakes debut for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey; and Brazenly [post 5, John Velazquez], a four-time winner who makes his graded debut for trainer Chris Englehart.

Originally named the NYRA Mile Handicap, the Cigar Mile is named for the race’s 1994 winner and subsequent Hall of Famer, and has served as a prestigious year-end goal for racing’s elite 3-year-olds and up since 1988.

America’s Day at the Races will present live coverage and analysis of the Aqueduct Racetrack fall meet on the networks of FOX Sports. For the broadcast schedule and channel finder, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule/.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the fall meet. Available to horse players nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

Brown hopeful Concurrently will relish added distance in G2 Demoiselle

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Klaravich Stables’ Concurrently will look to make her stakes debut a winning one in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Demoiselle, a nine-furlong route for juvenile fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Demoiselle [Race 3] awards the top-five finishers with 10-5-3-2-1 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks, and is one of six stakes races on Saturday’s 11-race card, which is headlined by the Grade 2, $500,000 Cigar Mile Handicap in Race 10. The card also features the Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen in Race 9, the Grade 3, $250,000 Elite Power in Race 5 and two $500,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series events at seven furlongs for eligible state-sired juveniles in the Great White Way [Race 11] and Fifth Avenue for fillies [Race 8]. First post is 11:20 a.m. Eastern.

Concurrently enters from a local third-out graduation going one mile on November 2 for five-time Eclipse Award-winning conditioner Chad Brown. There, the American Pharoah bay was a prominent winner under returning rider Flavien Prat after pressuring the early pace, taking a two-length lead at the stretch call and gamely fending off the late rush of Cara Fiore by a half-length.

That effort came on the back of a nose second to returning rival Believable in September here in her dirt debut and a flat sixth in her career bow over the Saratoga Race Course turf in August.

Brown said Concurrently has flourished this fall while training over the Belmont Park training track.

“She’s really done well,” Brown said. “I’m very pleased with how she’s developed here at Belmont. I got her career started off on the wrong foot by putting her in a turf race, but once we put her onto the dirt and let her develop that route, she’s done well. It was a hard-fought win last time and I think she’s looking for a mile and an eighth on the dirt. The trip should suit her.”

In her latest effort, Concurrently raced more prominently than in her other two outings, and Brown said he expects that to be the case going forward.

“I think you’ll see more of that as the distances increase,” he said.

A $150,00 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Concurrently is out of the Grade 3-placed Midnight Lute mare Dreamcall, a half-sister to Grade 1-placed stakes producer Glorified and the unraced Oblige, dam of Grade 1-winner Hunter O’Riley.

Prat has the call from post 4.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher holds a record eight Demoiselle wins, and will have two chances to further his success with the Repole Stables-owned pair of Zany [post 3, Irad Ortiz, Jr.] and Believable [post 6, John Velazquez, blinkers ON].

Zany was a debut winner sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on November 2 at Gulfstream Park where she set a pressured pace under Emisael Jaramillo, marking splits of 22.58 seconds and 45.72 over the fast footing. The American Pharoah chestnut took a one-length lead at the half-mile call, and widened her margin throughout the latter stages to coast home 6 1/2 lengths in front in a final time of 1:16.98. The effort was awarded a field-best 76 Beyer Speed Figure.

A $350,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, Zany is out of the Grade 3-winning Uncle Mo mare Mo’ Green. She has worked twice at Palm Beach Downs since her debut, including a half-mile in 48.77 on November 29.

The stakes-placed Believable faces a rematch with Shilling after finishing a four-length second to her last out in the Listed Tempted going one-mile on November 6 here. The Curlin bay stalked the pace in fifth through the half-mile and gave chase five-wide under Kendrick Carmouche, keeping on down the lane to secure the minor awards in her first effort against winners.

Believable was a nose winner over Concurrently going one mile here in September with a pacesetting trip. The $800,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale is out of the Tapit mare Temptress, making her a full-sister to dual graded stakes-winning millionaire Tenfold.

Fern Circle Stables’ Shilling [post 2, Chris Elliott] looks to bring her win streak to three after her aforementioned win over Believable in the Listed Tempted.

Trained by Ken McPeek, the Global Campaign bay overcame a bobble at the start to set the pace and never looked back under Chris Elliott, who has been aboard for each of her three outings.

“This should be a good spot for her as long as she can handle the added distance,” McPeek said. “We’ve been more than pleased with her last two runs and I think Jimmy [Jerkens, assistant] has got her locked and loaded for this one, too.

“She showed that speed in her last two starts and it’s been a big factor in her victories,” McPeek added. “I’m not sure who goes with her here, but she’s certainly got enough speed to make the pace.”

Shilling’s Tempted victory came on the heels of a neck graduation sprinting seven furlongs on October 16 here, which garnered a career-best 75 Beyer. The $105,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale is out of the winning Exchange Rate mare Pounds to Pennies.

Imaginary Stables’ Jumping the Gun [post 1, Julio Hernanez] enters from a second in Delaware Park’s White Clay Creek on October 11 for trainer Andrew Simoff. The Gun Runner bay won her first three starts – all at Delaware – including the six-furlong Blue Hen by 4 1/4 lengths in August.

Completing the field is Lucky Hat Racing’s Ivy Girl [post 5, Manny Franco], who enters from a second-out graduation going one mile on November 15 here for trainer Amelia Green.

Talkin may announce presence in G2 Remsen

By Christian Abdo —

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Danny Gargan sends out Grade 1-placed Talkin as he seeks his third victory in the past four runnings of Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Remsen, a nine-furlong test for juveniles, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Remsen awards the top-five finishers with 10-5-3-2-1 qualifying points, respectively, towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby in May at Churchill Downs.

Gargan captured the 2022 Remsen with Dubyuhnell and defended his title in 2023 with Dornoch, both sons of Good Magic, similar to this year’s contender Talkin. Dornoch battled back in the lane to defeat Sierra Leone by a nose and capture the Remsen en route to future wins in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, the Grade 1 NYRA Bets Haskell and the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth.

“I liked Good Magic as a racehorse,” said Gargan. “I took a shot on him as a sire. We are just always looking for dirt horses that go long, that’s what he is, and what we’re trying to buy. Yes, we want to try to win Classic races, we’ve gotten lucky and won one of them. This horse has a big pedigree and a nice family.”

Talkin, a Good Magic bay owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Pine Racing Stables, Legendary Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing and Breeding, and R. A. Hill Stable, has made two career starts. He captured his seven-furlong debut by a neck on August 30 at Saratoga Race Course, besting $1.3 million 2-year-old purchase Stradale as well as subsequent 20-length maiden winner and Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club-victor Further Ado.

“He beat a good bunch there,” Gargan said. “We’ve been waiting to run two turns. We want to see a strong performance going long to set him up for next year.”

Talkin [post 11, Kendrick Carmouche] exited his win to try the one-turn mile Grade 1 Champagne on October 4 here, where he traveled four lengths off the pace in seventh early under returning pilot Kendrick Carmouche and closed for a 6 1/2-length second to the runaway pacesetter Napoleon Solo. Talkin, who picked up five Kentucky Derby qualifying points in defeat, will now try two turns for the first time.

“He was in a good spot in the Champagne, then the horses kind of shuffled him back,” Gargan said. “He went over to the rail, and a horse went in front of him there, so he went back outside, and Kendrick said, ‘by the time he was in position to get running, the race was over.’ One of those things where speed was going and he just got shuffled out of it, but that’s the way it goes– still second in a Grade 1, got five Derby points and we move on, pleased with that.”

Bred in Kentucky by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, Talkin, a $600,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the winning Tiznow mare Rote, a half-sister to Grade 1-winner Magnificent Song, dual group/graded-placed Great Barrier Reef and Galileo’s Song. His second dam, Song to Remember, is a half-sister to dual graded-winner Lech and Grade 3-winner Savina.

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, Peter Brant, Brook T. Smith and breeder Summer Wind Equine’s Paladin [post 2, Flavien Prat] was elevated to victory over returning rival Renegade in his one-turn mile debut on October 17 here.

Trained by five-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, the Gun Runner chestnut tracked the pace from a close-up fourth position, had the jump on Renegade late, but that rival rallied up the inside to cross the wire a head in front and was subsequently disqualified following a stewards’ inquiry concerning the final sixteenth.

“I thought he ran really well,” Brown said. “He ran a really good race and got herded late, and I was happy that he got put up. Once he felt that other horse and straightened out again, he galloped out really well. I don’t think the added distance will be a problem. He’s done really well since the race.”

Paladin, a $1.9 million purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, is out of the Tapit mare Secret Sigh, a half-sister to dual Group 1-winner Mozu Ascot and stakes-winner Kareena. His second dam is dual graded-winner India.

“This horse always acted that way,” Brown said of routing two turns. “He was an expensive yearling who was a beauty, and that hasn’t changed. He’s really grown into himself and he looks magnificent right now. I think he has a bright future ahead of him.”

Hall of Fame-trainer Todd Pletcher has entered the aforementioned Renegade [post 9, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], the well-related Courting [post 6, John Velazquez], and the maiden Grittiness [post 4, Jaime Rodriguez, blinkers ON], as he seeks a record-equaling fourth Remsen score, most recently winning with future Grade 1 Belmont Stakes-winner Mo Donegal in 2021.

Renegade, owned by Repole Stable and his breeders Robert Low and Lawana Low, is still a maiden following his second-out disqualification. The Into Mischief bay was previously a distant third to dominant winner It’s Our Time in his 6 1/2-furlong debut on August 16 at Saratoga.

Renegade, a $975,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the Grade 3-winning Curlin mare Spice Is Nice. His second dam is Grade 1-winner Dame Dorothy, a half-sister to Group 1-winner Mrs. Lindsay.

Whisper Hill Farm, breeder Stonestreet Stables and Windancer Farm’s Courting was a $5 million purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The Curlin chestnut is a full-brother to multiple Grade 1-winner Clairiere out of the multiple Grade 1-winning Bernardini mare Cavorting. His second dam is dual Grade 1-placed Promenade Girl.

Courting has made his two efforts locally going a one-turn mile, setting the pace to graduate second-out by 2 1/2 lengths over Grittiness on November 9. He was previously a 2 1/4-length fourth in his September 27 debut to returning rival Igniter.

Repole Stable’s Grittiness was making his third start last out when second to Courting after being bumped at the break. The Curlin chestnut was sixth twice over the summer in maiden special weight sprints at Saratoga. Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Grittiness, a $575,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the Grade 2-winning Oxbow mare Coach Rocks.

Rounding out the field are stakes-winners Balboa [post 10, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] for trainer Brittany Russell and Probably Dreaming [post 12, Carlos Lopez] for conditioner Gary Capuano; stakes-placed Day One Starter [post 1, Junior Alvarado] for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey; as well as maiden-winners Igniter [post 7, Manny Franco] for trainer Rick Dutrow, Jr., I Did I Did [post 3, Joel Rosario] for trainer Mike Maker, Concarneau [post 8, Mychel Sanchez] for trainer Marya Montoya and Chambersville [post 5, Chris Elliott] for trainer Ken McPeek.

The Remsen is slated as Race 9 on Saturday’s 11-race card, which also features the Grade 2 Cigar Mile [Race 10], the Grade 2 Demoiselle [Race 3], which awards the top-five finishers with 10-5-3-2-1 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Oaks, and the Grade 3 Elite Power [Race 5]. The card includes the $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way [Race 11] and the $500,000 NYSSS Fifth Avenue [Race 8]. First post is 11:20 a.m. Eastern.