The Cigar Mile Handicap is a Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three-years-old and older over a distance of one mile and is held in late November or early December at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The event carries a purse of $500,000.

History

The inaugural running of the event, then known as the NYRA Mile Handicap or simply the NYRA Mile, was won in 1988 by three-year-old Forty Niner, who would later become an influential sire. The race was eligible for graded stakes classification in 1990 and was awarded Grade I status by the American Graded Stakes Committee.

The 1994 NYRA Mile was the second race in the 16-race win streak of Cigar, who won by seven lengths. The event was renamed in 1997 following Cigar's retirement to the Cigar Mile Handicap. Horses who have won the Cigar Mile on their way to championship honors include 2006 winner Discreet Cat (named one of the year's champion three-year-olds in the World's Best Racehorse Rankings), 2009 winner Kodiak Kowboy (winner of that year's Eclipse Award for Champion Sprinter), and 2019 victor Maximum Security (that year's Eclipse winner for Best Three-Year-Old Male).

In 2023 the event was downgraded by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to Grade II status.

Records Speed record: 1:32.46 – Discreet Cat (2006)

Margins: 7 lengths – Cigar (1994)

Most wins: 2 – Congaree (2002, 2003)

Most wins by a jockey: 5 – Jerry Bailey (1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003) 5 – John R. Velazquez (2001, 2015, 2022, 2023, 2024)

Most wins by a trainer: 7 – Todd A. Pletcher (2001, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2021, 2022, 2024)

Most wins by an owner: 2 – Michael B. Tabor (2001, 2004) 2 – Stonerside Stable (2002, 2003) 2 – Charles E. Fipke (2008, 2010)

Winners Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Distance Time Purse Grade RefCigar Mile Handicap2025Bishops Bay5Flavien PratBrad H. CoxKAS Stable 1 mile1:34.62$500,000II2024Locked 3John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherEclipse Thoroughbred Partners & Walmac Farm1 mile1:34.52$500,000II2023Hoist The Gold 4John R. VelazquezDallas StewartDream Team One Racing Stable 1 mile1:34.28$500,000II2022Mind Control6John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherRed Oak Stable & Madaket Stables1 mile1:35.53$750,000I2021Americanrevolution3Luis SaezTodd A. Pletcher WinStar Farm & China Horse Club1 mile1:36.68$750,000 I2020True Timber6Kendrick CarmoucheJack SistersonCalumet Farm1 mile1:36.49$250,000I2019Maximum Security3Luis SaezJason ServisMary & Gary West1 mile1:36.46$750,000I2018Patternrecognition5Jose L. OrtizChad C. BrownKlaravich Stables & William H. Lawrence 1 mile1:34.98$784,125I2017Sharp Azteca4Javier CastellanoJorge NavarroIvan Rodriguez1 mile1:35.17$750,000I2016Connect 3Javier CastellanoChad C. BrownPaul P. Pompa Jr.1 mile1:35.34$500,000I2015Tonalist4John R. VelazquezChristophe ClementRobert S. Evans1 mile1:37.14$670,000I2014Private Zone5Martin A. PedrozaAlfredo VelazquezGood Friends Stable1 mile1:34.39$753,750I2013Flat Out7Junior AlvaradoWilliam I. MottPreston Stables1 mile1:34.68$753,000I2012Stay Thirsty4Ramon A. DominguezTodd A. PletcherRepole Stable1 mile1:35.47$343,000I2011To Honor and Serve3Jose LezcanoWilliam I. MottLive Oak Racing 1 mile1:33.89$250,000I2010Jersey Town4Cornelio VelasquezBarclay TaggCharles E. Fipke1 mile1:34.43$250,000I2009Kodiak Kowboy4Shaun BridgmohanSteven M. AsmussenFox Hill Farm & Vinery Stables1 mile1:35.57$300,000I2008†Tale of Ekati3Edgar S. PradoBarclay TaggCharles E. Fipke1 mile1:35.01$300,000I2007Daaher3Michael J. LuzziKiaran P. McLaughlinShadwell Racing1 mile1:33.79$294,000I2006Discreet Cat3Garrett K. GomezSaeed bin SuroorGodolphin Racing1 mile1:32.46$294,000I2005Purge4Garrett K. GomezTodd A. PletcherStarlight Racing1 mile1:34.26$350,000I2004Lion Tamer4Jose A. SantosTodd A. PletcherMichael B. Tabor1 mile1:33.46$350,000I2003Congaree 5Jerry D. BaileyBob BaffertStonerside Stable1 mile1:34.30$350,000I2002Congaree 4Jerry D. BaileyBob BaffertStonerside Stable1 mile1:33.11$350,000I2001Left Bank4John R. VelazquezTodd A. PletcherMichael B. Tabor1 mile1:33.35$350,000I2000El Corredor3Jerry D. BaileyBob BaffertHal Earnhardt III1 mile1:34.68$350,000I1999Affirmed Success5Jorge F. ChavezRichard E. SchosbergAlbert Fried Jr.1 mile1:34.18$350,000I1998Sir Bear5Jerry D. BaileyRalph ZiadieBarbara Smollin1 mile1:34.05$300,000I1997Devious Course5Jorge F. ChavezH. James BondClarence Scharbauer Jr.1 mile1:34.80$250,000INYRA Mile Handicap1996Gold Fever3Mike E. SmithClaude R. McGaughey IIICynthia Phipps1 mile1:34.98$250,000I1995Flying Chevron3Robbie DavisJames J. TonerCaesar P. Kimmel1 mile1:34.57$250,000I1994Cigar 4Jerry D. BaileyWilliam I. MottMadeleine Paulson1 mile1:36.10$250,000I1993Race not held1992Ibero (ARG)5Laffit Pincay Jr.Ron McAnallyFrank Whitham1 mile1:33.97$500,000I1991Rubiano4Jose A. SantosFlint S. SchulhoferCentennial Farm1 mile1:33.68$500,000I1990Quiet American4Chris McCarronGary F. JonesSheikh Mohammed1 mile1:32.80$638,000I1989Dispersal3Angel Cordero Jr.Bud DelpTom O. Myerhoff1 mile1:32.80$581,000 1988Forty Niner3William Fox Jr.Woodford C. StephensClaiborne Farm1 mile1:34.00$567,000 Notes:

† In the 2006 running of the event Harlem Rocker was first past the post in a photo finish by a nose margin but was disqualified for interference in the straight and was placed second. Tale of Ekati was declared the official winner of the event.

See also List of American and Canadian Graded races

External sites Ten Things You Should Know About the Cigar Mile at Hello Race Fans!

References