37th and the final Cigar Mile Handicap The Aqueduct contest included seven stallions and geldings, led by two extremely aggressive five-year-olds, Bishop’s Bay and Phileas Fogg. Bishop’s Bay and Phileas Fogg, who’ve comparable early operating speeds, will face one another for the primary time after drawing the surface publish.
Initially generally known as the NYRA Mile, the race was renamed in 1997 in honor of Cigar, who gained by a landslide seven lengths in 1994 and was named Horse of the Yr in each 1995 and 1996. This can be a view of the Grade 2 Cigar Mile area from the rail out.
Doc Sullivan, the one New York-bred horse to run, drew the rail publish and simply gained the New York Stallion Collection Stakes by 5 and a half lengths on Nov. 22 on the tough Suidobashi Monitor. The one 3-year-old horse, Mika, might be operating for the primary time since his coach returned to Mike Maker, and he has gained his previous two begins by a mixed 23 and a half lengths. pentathlon Final time he crossed this monitor, he gained the 1-mile Allowance Choice Declare Stage by 3 1/4 lengths and earned a career-best 102 Equibase Velocity Determine. loopy mason This would be the sixth consecutive yr that coach Gregory Sacco has raced in a serious race, and up-and-coming jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. might be using him for the primary time. Openly, a veteran of the group, might be making his third begin exterior of California at age 40.th He competed in profession races and set a profession better of 107 equibases in his final race on the age of seven. Morning queue favourite Phileas Fogg Within the final Woodward Stakes, he tied for publish 6 and fell simply wanting 2024 Cigar Mile winner Locked by three-quarters of a size. Bishop’s Bay drew the far exterior publish, marking coach Brad Cox’s fifth consecutive graded stakes look.
Evaluation and principal candidates:
consistency of Bishop’s Bay It is arduous to miss. He has eight wins and three wins and one win in 12 profession begins, half of which have are available in graded stakes. The son of Uncle Mo shortly confirmed expertise, beating the maiden horse by three-quarters of a size in First Mission on his 3-year-old debut and turning into a graded stakes winner. Bishop’s Bay completed his three-year-old season with runner-up finishes within the Peter Pan Stakes and the Ohio Derby earlier than being laid off for simply over 17 months. Bishop’s Bay resurfaced final November to win the allowance possibility claiming race on the Indianapolis Horseshoe Racetrack, however this yr he actually confirmed his true potential as a 5-year-old. After ending second in January, he went on to win 4 consecutive races, together with the American Pharoah In a single day Stakes and the Westchester Stakes, and within the Salvator Mile Stakes in June, he posted a powerful rating of 5 lengths and earned a career-best 111 Equibase Velocity Determine. Of be aware is that every one 4 consecutive wins had been ridden by Flavien Prat. In August, Bishop’s Bay stepped as much as G1 firm and completed sixth within the Forego Stakes, 4 1/4 lengths behind Buchem Danno, ridden by Airad Ortiz, with Cigar Mile favourite Loopy Mason third. Bishop’s Bay set the tempo to take the quarter pole in his final outing at Large A at Belmont on Nov. 2, and gained the 49er Stakes over the identical mile with Pratt again within the saddle. Pratt has by no means misplaced at Bishop’s Bay and has an ideal 5-on-5 report. Past the success of that partnership, Pratt and coach Brad Cox have had a powerful run on the NYRA circuit over the previous three years, producing a constructive return on funding of 32% with 30 wins in 70 begins and a 43% win fee and 74% sitting fee. Bishop’s Bay ranks first within the area with a mean Equibase Velocity variety of 105 and tied for first within the common class with a 108. He’s additionally undefeated since his two races at Aqueduct, and has a report of three wins from three races over this mile distance on grime. In multi-race betting, Bishop’s Bay is shaping as much as be a dependable horse and will add worth, particularly if he runs as a post-time alternative behind Phileas Fogg.
Contemplating the quantity of velocity initially of this yr’s Cigar Mile, loopy mason That is somebody who may benefit tremendously from the conclusion of the journey. The Coal Entrance colt put collectively a powerful 4-year-old season in 2025, opening the season with three straight wins at Aqueduct, together with a victory within the Carter Stakes Introduced by NYRA Bets, the place he earned a determine of 107 equibases. The horse continued his profitable streak by ending third behind Bubbem Danno and Mullikin within the True North Stakes over the tough Saratoga monitor in June, after which headed west for his first G1 problem within the Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar, the place he completed sixth, five-and-three-quarters of a size behind. Loopy Mason then returned to New York and put in an excellent efficiency within the Forego Stakes in August, ending third behind Buchem Danno by simply 3/4 lengths regardless of reaching the beginning gate and breaking lifeless final. In his most up-to-date begin in September, he as soon as once more fell behind final, however completed strongly, racing up the rail and bettering with every step to complete second within the Bosborough Stakes Introduced by Military Mule at Large A Belmont. Loopy Mason is tied with Bishop’s Bay for first within the common class with a mean of 108, and can probably have probability to make an affect within the second half with a powerful tempo. Irad Ortiz Jr. might be using for the primary time, which is critical given his type up to now, and he’ll lead all North American jockeys in wins and prize cash in 2025. Over the previous 10 days, Ortiz Jr. has gained a powerful 43% of stakes races, with 14 wins, 6 wins and a 79% end within the cash. Discovering the winner’s circle on Saturday will not be straightforward with Bishop’s Bay within the combine, however based mostly on latest efforts and the anticipated tempo state of affairs, Loopy Mason has an excellent probability of being on the board on Saturday.
Phileas Fogg proved to be a constant and constant drive within the area, with a profession outlined by reliability with 9 wins and 5 seconds in 20 begins. Like Bishop’s Bay, he has improved with age. Since being claimed for $62,500 by Jupiter Stables in August 2024, jockey Phileas Fogg has solely missed using as soon as in 9 begins for Gustavo Rodriguez Stables, and even that was when he completed third within the Jockey Membership Gold Cup Stakes earlier than being disqualified for seventh. The final time Phileas Fogg lined this mile, he gained by 3 3/4 lengths in his first post-race race in September final yr. He hasn’t raced lower than 1 1/8 miles since then, profitable two Listed Stakes by a mixed 13 1/4 lengths and including a front-running victory within the Suburban Stakes introduced by Subbourbon. Most not too long ago, after dominating the tempo from starting to finish within the Woodward Stakes, he was caught behind within the locked race. This slight reversal on the Cigar Mile could have been precisely what he wanted, however it might be tough to safe a transparent lead early on with the quick tempo anticipated from the inside-out horse. Nonetheless, it is arduous to think about a state of affairs by which Phileas Fogg would not weigh in on Saturday, given his consistency and powerful ends in the powerful graded stakes.
The remainder of the sphere has posted the best Equibase velocity numbers in comparable races. Dr. Sullivan (108), Mika (108), pentathlon (102), and boldly (107).
Get candidates by precedence:
Bishop’s Bay
loopy mason
Phileas Fogg
