Horse Racing: Cigar, the Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse
Cigar, the legendary racehorse of the 90’s was foaled on the 18th of April 1990, at Country Life Farm situated near Bel Air, Maryland. Sired by Palace Music out of Solar Slew, the champion stallion managed to become the first American racehorse
to win 16 career meets in a row after the Triple Crown champion Citation did in the years 1948 and 1950. At the time of his retirement, Cigar had the largest career earnings the history of Thoroughbred horseracing.
Owned by Madeleine A. Paulson and Allen E. Paulson, the bay coloured stallion was bred by Allen E. Paulson. The legendary racehorse was first put under the training of Alex Hassinger Jr., till the age of three. Cigar did not contend any race at the age of
two and started his exceptional athletic career as a three a year old racehorse, under the training of the aforementioned trainer. He participated in a total of nine races at the age of three, but could only win two of them. In his first racing season, he
failed to win any stakes race that he contended. However, he was the second place finisher in the Grade II Volante Handicap that was held at Santa Anita Racetrack and finished in the third place in the Grade II Ascot Handicap at Bay Meadows. Cigar had earned
$ 89,175 as a three year old stallion.
When the great racehorse turned four, he was shipped to an east-coast trainer, William I. Mott. Mott gave Cigar a break of about half a year, after which he was brought back to the track in July of 1994. In his allowance starts at Saratoga Race Course and
Belmont Park, Cigar managed to conclude the events in the third spot.
The champion won his first allowance race on the 28th of October 1994 and then was undefeated for about two years. Cigar, the great thoroughbred gave a spectacular performance at the first competition race that he contended as a four year old
racehorse. This race was the Grade I NYRA Mile race, which is now known as the Cigar Mile Handicap. He managed to hold off the top racehorse of New York stakes, Devil His Due, and took over the field by 7 lengths. This was the only race contended by Cigar
at the age of four. At the end of this racing season, the legendary stallion had won 2 out of six starts and finished with earnings of $ 180,838.
Cigar then went on to win the 1 1/16 allowance race at the Gulfstream Park in the 1995 racing season. He finished two lengths ahead of the runner up. Then at the 1 1/8 miles Donn Handicap, the talented thoroughbred held off the champion Holy Bull (who also
broke down during the race) and gave an impressive victory. This race also marked the end of Holy Bull’s racing career, since he got injured.
Cigar then contended the significant races and added these major wins to his streak of undefeated starts. These included the Oaklawn Handicap (1955), the Hollywood Gold Cup at the Hollywood Racetrack (1955), the Jockey Club Gold Cup (1955). He then held
off Devil His Due and Concern in the Pimlico Special at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The 1 3/16 miles race was finished by Cigar in a time of 1 minute and 53 3/5 seconds. Next, was the 1 1/8 miles Massachusetts Handicap (1955) at Suffolk Downs, which
the champion won in a time of 1 minute and 48 3/5 seconds. He then went on to win the Woodward Stakes that marked the end of the 1955 racing season.
His achievements were acknowledged by the industry and thus Cigar was adorned with the United States Outstanding Older Male Horse for the years 1995 and 1996. He also earned the United States Horse of the Year Award for the same years. The historic thoroughbred
was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in the year 2002.
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