Cigar (horse)

Cigar
Cigar enjoying his life in the pasture
SirePalace Music
GrandsireThe Minstrel
DamSolar Slew
DamsireSeattle Slew
SexStallion
FoaledApril 18, 1990
Bel Air, Maryland, U.S.
DiedOctober 7, 2014 (aged 24)
Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
CountryUnited States
ColourDark bay
BreederAllen E. Paulson
Owner1) Madeleine A. Paulson
2) Allen E. Paulson
Trainer1) Alex Hassinger Jr.
2) William I. Mott (from age 4)
Record33: 19-4-5 (total)
22: 18-2-1 (dirt)
11: 1-2-4 (turf)
Earnings$9,999,815[1]
Major wins
NYRA Mile (1994)
Donn Handicap (1995, 1996)
Gulfstream Park Handicap (1995)
Oaklawn Handicap (1995)
Pimlico Special (1995)
Massachusetts Handicap (1995, 1996)
Hollywood Gold Cup (1995)
Woodward Stakes (1995, 1996)
Jockey Club Gold Cup (1995)
Dubai World Cup (1996)

Breeders' Cup wins:
Breeders' Cup Classic (1995)
Awards
American Horse of the Year (1995, 1996)
Eclipse Award for Outstanding Older Male Horse(1995, 1996)
Timeform rating: 138
Honours
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame inductee (2002)
#18 - Top 100 U.S. Racehorses of the 20th Century
Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack
Life-size statue at Gulfstream Park
Statue at Kentucky Horse Park

Cigar (April 18, 1990 – October 7, 2014), was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the 1995 and 1996 American Horse of the Year. He was the first American racehorse racing against top-class competition to win 16 consecutive races since Triple Crown winner Citation did so between 1948 and 1950. His major wins included the 1995 Breeders' Cup Classic, the NYRA Mile (later renamed in his honor), Jockey Club Gold Cup, Woodward Stakes (twice), Oaklawn Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup, Donn Handicap (twice) and the first running of the Dubai World Cup. He became the leading money earner in racing history and was later inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

Originally campaigned on turf courses, he showed useful but unremarkable form in his early career. However, he emerged as an outstanding performer when switched to racing on dirt in late 1994. He was undefeated in 1995 in ten starts at racetracks across the United States, and received all but two of 306 ballots cast for American Horse of the Year. In 1996, he won the Dubai World Cup and three other races before his winning streak finally came to an end in August in the Pacific Classic. Despite narrowly losing two of his next three starts, he was named the America Horse of the Year for the second time.

After his retirement from racing, Cigar proved to be infertile and was quickly retired from stud duties. He nevertheless enjoyed a long retirement at Kentucky Horse Park before dying at the age of 24.

  1. ^ "Equibase profile". Equibase. Retrieved 13 November 2022.