Cigar Benefits Charities

Charities to benefit from Cigar’s popularity

RANCHO SANTA FE, Calif. - Cigar owner Allen Paulson announced Wednesday that he has signed an agreement with CMG Worldwide Inc. to handle the rights to Cigar’s name, image and likeness, with all profits from the venture going to charity.

The charities selected to benefit are The Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation, the Jockeys’ Guild Disabled Riders Fund and the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund.

"I wanted the offers we’ve been getting to be handled professionally," Paulson said, "and I wanted to make sure that all profits would go to charities that help horses or horsemen."

Paulson and his wife, Madeleine, have been besieged by people with ideas for products carrying Cigar’s likeness since the horse emerged as a superstar last year. And since his victory in the Dubai World Cup, the offers have escalated.

"Everything about Cigar is of championship caliber," said CMG Worldwide representative Kelly McLane Jones, "and we welcome him to the ranks of our roster of the greatest American legends of the country."

Based in Indianapolis, CMG Worldwide specializes in managing promoting famous images, which include such celebrities as James Dean, Babe Ruth, Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart, as well as other equine stars Secretariat and Ruffian.

...Friday, July 12, 1996, Daily Racing Form