Career Summary

Bay horse, 1990, by Palace Music out of Solar Slew by Seattle Slew

When Cigar made his career debut in a maiden race at Santa Anita Park on February 21, 1993, nobody could have predicted that the horse, who finished seventh that afternoon, would go on to have his name uttered in the same breath with Citation.

A race-by-race chronology tracing Cigar's career from his humble beginnings through his current 15-race win-skein follows:

February 21, 1993, Santa Anita Park
The son of Grade 1 stakes winner Palace Music is dispatched at 5-to-1 in his career debut and never threatens while racing wide in the six-furlong dash. Pat Valenzuela is aboard the three-year-old colt, trained by Alex Hassinger.

May 9, 1993, Hollywood Park
A 2˝-month layoff follows his debut run, and Cigar finds the winner's circle for the first time in his next start, a six-furlong maiden race at Hollywood Park. With Valenzuela in the saddle once again, the bay colt breaks slowly and is rushed into contention, racing just a length off the pace at the quarter. He takes command before the half and wins under a drive by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:09 2/5.

May 23, 1993, Hollywood Park
Hassinger moves Cigar to the turf course for his third start, a $39,000 allowance test over the Hollywood lawn. Racing with the diuretic Lasix for the first time, Cigar is sent off at 3.80 to $1, his lowest odds yet. After leading in the stretch, Cigar fades to fourth, beaten 1-3/4 lengths for the top spot.

June 12, 1993, Hollywood Park
Another run against allowance competition over the Hollywood turf follows, and Cigar earns a third-place finish with a mild stretch run.

August 18, 1993, Del Mar
Chris McCarron replaces Valenzuela in the saddle as the scene shifts to Del Mar for Cigar's next start. The oceanside racecourse apparently agrees with Cigar as he posts his one and only grass win in his first start there.

September 3, 1993, Del Mar
Cigar's second and final race over the Del Mar green is a game second-place finish in allowance company.

September 23, 1993, Bay Meadows
Bay Meadows in San Francisco is the site of Cigar's first stakes try, the Grade 3 Ascot Handicap. Fourth in the early portion of the 1-1/16-mile turf event, Cigar, with Valenzuela back in the saddle, rallies to earn a two-length advantage in the stretch, but he can't maintain the bid and finishes second.

November 5, 1993, Santa Anita Park
Cigar continues to compete in stakes competition, with his next start in the Grade 3 Volante Handicap, the day before the Southern California track hosts the 1993 Breeders' Cup. Cigar makes a bid in the stretch but is out-finished by Eastern Memories.

November 20, 1993, Hollywood Park
The final race of Cigar's three-year-old season is his toughest task to date, the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby. Sent off at odds of nearly 25-1 in the nine-furlong grass contest, Cigar is never a factor, finishing 11th in the 14-horse field.

July 8, 1994, Belmont Park
Sent to owner Allen Paulson's East Coast branch with trainer Bill Mott, Cigar does not make his first start as a four-year-old until July 8, 1994. Although still eligible to run in a 'non-winners of two races-other-than,' Cigar is placed in a 'non-winners of three-other-than' allowance and finishes fourth in a five-horse field. Mike Smith takes over the riding chores.

August 8, 1994, Saratoga Race Course
Cigar improves to finish third in his next start, a 'non-winners of three-other-than' allowance at Saratoga, his only appearance at the Spa.

September 16, 1994, Belmont Park
The full team is in place for the first time as Jerry Bailey gets the riding assignment for Cigar's return to Belmont Park. This is the only defeat Bailey suffers on Cigar, who finishes seventh in the 11-horse field.

October 7, 1994, Belmont Park
Julie Krone is in the saddle for Cigar's last grass race, an allowance event at Belmont Park. His third-place finish ends his pre-streak ledger with a record of two wins, two seconds and four thirds in 13 starts.

October 28, 1994, Aqueduct Race Course The Streak Begins
Cigar's streak into history coincides with a return to the dirt. A mammoth eight-length victory over New York allowance runners provides a fitting beginning to the skein.

November 26, 1994, Aqueduct Race Course: The NYRA Mile (Grade 1)
With most of the reigning Handicap stars tucked away for the season, Cigar makes his second Grade 1 start of his career in the NYRA Mile. Cigar's seven-length triumph over heavily-favored Devil His Due is his first stakes victory. Jerry Bailey returns to ride Cigar and has ridden him in every race since. The $19.80 win mutuel is the largest of his career.

January 22, 1995, Gulfstream Park
Sunny Florida is the site of Cigar's five-year-old debut. Despite a troubled trip that sees him crowded and bumped at the start of the 1-1/16-mile race, Cigar leads at every call and prevails by two lengths as the 1-2 favorite.

February 11, 1995, Gulfstream Park: The Donn Handicap (Grade 1)
The eyes of the racing world are on Gulfstream Park to see 1994 Horse of the Year Holy Bull in the Donn Handicap. Tragedy strikes the reigning champion as a career-ending injury cuts short his run down the backstretch. Cigar's 5˝ -length win is treated as a sidebar, while racing fans worldwide mourn the early retirement of Holy Bull.

March 5, 1995, Gulfstream Park: The Gulfstream Park Handicap (Grade 1)
Cigar, now the champion of the East Coast Handicap division, is sent of as the 1-2 favorite in the 1Ľ-mile Gulfstream Park Handicap. Cigar takes control of the race with a stunning move up the backstretch and into the far turn, drawing off to a decisive 7˝ - length triumph.

April 15, 1995, Oaklawn Park: The Oaklawn Park Handicap (Grade I)
Facing a star-studded field that includes 1994 Breeders' Cup Classic champion Concern – and despite being hit in the face by the whip of Silver Goblin's jockey, Dale Cordova – Cigar turns in his most impressive performance to date, beating his rivals by 2-1/2 lengths in an eye-popping 1:47 1/5 for the nine furlongs.

May 13, 1995, Pimlico Race Course: The Pimlico Special (Grade I)
It's getting tough to find challengers for Cigar. Only five other horses make the trek to Baltimore for the Pimlico Special to witness Cigar win easily in a blistering 1:53 2/5 for the 1-3/16 miles.

June 3, 1995, Suffolk Downs: The Massachusetts Handicap
Bonuses written with Holy Bull in mind fit Cigar to a tee and sweeten the pot of this once-storied event to $750,000. Shouldering high impost of 124 pounds and spotting his foes from 11 to 17 pounds, Cigar easily defeats his five rivals by four lengths in 1:48 3/5.

July 2, 1995, Hollywood Park: The Hollywood Gold Cup (Grade 1)
The Hollywood Gold Cup is not on the original schedule mapped out by Mott and owner Allen Paulson, but is added to showcase the horse in Paulson’s home of Southern California. Carrying high weight of 126, Cigar again remains unchallenged, coasting to a 3˝ -length score in 1:59 2/5 for the 1-1/4 miles..

September 16, 1995 Belmont Park: The Woodward Handicap (Grade 1)
After a much-needed break, Cigar is back to business. The road to the 1995 Breeders' Cup Classic begins with a 2ľ -length score in the Woodward Handicap at Belmont Park, site of the '95 Breeders' Cup. Sent off at a dime on the dollar, Cigar wins under wraps in 1:47 for the 1-1/8 miles.

October 7, 1995, Belmont Park: The Jockey Club Gold Cup (Grade 1)
Cigar faces a stiffer test in his final Breeders' Cup prep, the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Carried seven-wide in the turn, Bailey uses the whip on Cigar and asks his mount for more. The victory margin of one length is his shortest yet.

October 28, 1995, Belmont Park: The Breeders' Cup Classic (Grade 1)
With a $3 million purse on the line, nobody is hiding from Cigar on Breeders' Cup Day. In addition to the best North America has to offer, Europe's highly-touted Halling makes the overseas journey. Detractors say the muddy track, the appearance of Halling, and the toll of grueling campaign could lead to his downfall. But a stakes record of 1:59 2/5 for the 1-1/4 miles proves the naysayers wrong.

February 10, 1996, Gulfstream Park: The Donn Handicap (Grade 1)
Cigar's record-seeking journey takes him back to Florida to defend his crown in the Donn Handicap. The reigning Horse of the Year sits patiently in third position in the early running, making his decisive move as the Geld turns for home. He beats stablemate Wekiva Springs by two lengths in 1:49 for the 1-1/8 miles.

March 27, 1996, Nad Al Sheba, United Arab Emirates: The Dubai World Cup
Despite losing a few weeks of training due to a bruised hoof, Cigar makes the intercontinental journey to Dubai to run for $4 million, the richest thoroughbred purse ever offered. Racing on a "foreign" surface and under the lights for the first time, Cigar answers a strong challenge from Soul of the Matter to gamely prevail by ˝ length.

Despite the early hour (10 a.m. in the East, 7 a.m. in the West), followers from all across North America crowd into racetracks and OTBs from coast-to-coast to see the Dubai World Cup.

June 2, 1996, Suffolk Downs: The Massachusetts Handicap
This time the bonuses are written with Cigar in mind, and he returns to defend his Mass Cap title. Sitting off a fast early pace, the champ is under a tight hold from Bailey as they enter the backstretch. With no urging at all, Cigar devours the field effortlessly in lopping strides, cruising to an easy victory in 1:49 3/5.

July 13, 1996, Arlington International Racecourse: The Arlington Citation Challenge
The record-tying 16th consecutive victory lived up to the billing. Laying four-wide around the final turn, Cigar made his move under very little encouragement from Bailey, and he never looked back. A sold-out Arlington International Racecourse witnessed the triumph as history had been made.

August 10, 1996, Del Mar Race Course: The Pacific Classic
Cigar entered the race with hopes of a 17th consecutive victory that would break the record held by Citation. Although Cigar was in the lead for the majority of the race, the horse named Dare and Go passed by and beat him to the finish line in a matter of seconds. Many fans were surprised and some heart-broken, but the incredible winning streak had to come to an end sooner or later.

Saturday, September 14, 1996, Woodward at Belmont Park.
One month after his winning streak came to an end at 16 races, Cigar -- with Jerry Bailey aboard-- glided to a four-length victory over L'Carriere and a second straight Woodward Stakes crown Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. Indianapolis Star, 09/15/96