Cigar Stories

re: Cigar Stories

BerttheWonderHorse — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:45:18 GMT

What a wonderful tribute! I had the honor of seeing Cigar this past November, the day before the Breeders Cup races. I was so thrilled and took a billion photos of him which I cherish. He looked terrific and loved. What a horse!

re: Cigar Stories

Redhorse — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 22:37:14 GMT

Hey Steve I know this is off topic but do you know where I could look for a Cigar poem or have you written one at all?

re: Cigar Stories

Mike Relva — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:48:03 GMT

Fanofallthree

Cathy Roby was very special and miss her when I visit Cigar. When I inquired regarding a horse that was ill, she was kind enough to leave a message on my phone last winter.

re: Cigar Stories

LAZMANNICK — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:56:49 GMT

Coldfacts

You missed a very important point about Cigar’s career. His first two races were on dirt and after finishing 7th in his first race at Santa Anita, he won his second, a 6F dash at Hollywood winning by an easy two lengths in 1.09.2. It was after that race that he was switched to turf and he would run his next 11 starts on grass with but a single win.

Cigar was meant to be a turf horse, but it turned out that he wasn’t very good on the surface. As much as I like and respect Bill Mott, he didn’t magically just figure it out. His first four races with him were the last of those 11 consecutive races on turf. It was when he decided to switch him back to dirt that the 16 race win streak began. His first in that streak was an allowance win and his 2nd was the G1 NYRA Mile, (now the Cigar Mile), which he won easily and received a 115 Beyer.

It is also interesting to note that he received a 94 Beyer in his maiden win. In 11 subsequent turf races (the surface he was bred to run on) his highest Beyer was a 98. When he switched back to dirt where he ran to the balance of his career (20 starts) he received a triple digit Beyer in all 19 races in N/A and was not given a Beyer in the Dubai World Cup, a race that he won.

Maybe if he would have been kept exclusively on dirt he would have developed sooner.

re: Cigar Stories

TerriV — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:50:52 GMT

Steve, I don't even know what to say, you moved me beyond words. I wish I'd been at Madison Square Gardens that day!

re: Cigar Stories

Dr Drunkinbum — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 05:39:17 GMT

trackjack

We've been working feverishly in the lab. Numerous concoctions have exploded so alas there is still no cure. The best you can do is manage the symptoms so that you're not totally consumed by the affliction. Or just enjoy the ride. It's a strong group of 2yo's so buckle up, hunker down, take your vitamins, and stock up on coffee and cigars for those late nights devouring the pps, pedigrees and replays. Have fun.

re: Cigar Stories

trackjack — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:58:41 GMT

Steve,

Thanks for reminding us what a great horse Cigar was, especially your telling of the MSG festivities. Sure would like to see a video of that evening, but your words paint a much better picture. We first watched Cigar as he won the 1995 Donn, after defeating our favorite Holy Bull. I believe to this day that Holy Bull had never been challenged like the challenge Cigar presented early in that race and that, in part, lead to Holy Bull's injury. I do need to get to the Kentucky Horse Park soon to see Cigar.

ZooKeeper: thanks for the youtube video link.

Dr. D: I enjoy your irony. Any new remedies for Derby Fever?

re: Cigar Stories

fanofallthree — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:50:17 GMT

I have a DVD of CIGAR's MSG farewell. Also included in the DVD is his win in the Dubai World Cup.

He is my favorite living TB. I treasure those days with the late Cathy Roby at the Hall of Champions when she would let me love on him and feed him special treats. He's not big on the lovey part, but he can hear the rustle of a peppermint wrapper from 20 yards.

Thanks, Steve. As always, another writing masterpiece.

re: Cigar Stories

calico cat — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:01:32 GMT

Slee,

Your last paragraph is pure poetry. "...soul shining in his eyes" so true about all horses, especially the great ones.

Dr D.,

Glad you liked the video. Thank you for the prize. I'll donate it to the effort to ban the slaughter of horses in this country and also to ban the transportation abroad for that dastarly purpose.

re: Cigar Stories

slee — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:37:42 GMT

I never saw Cigar race in person, just on tv, but I visited him at KY Horse Park a couple of summers ago. Funny Cide grazing in the paddock next door, and Cigar rolling in the dirt. It was late in the day and I was the only one around.

Cigar came over to the fence at one point, with 1 ear pointed back and the other undecided about yet another human with a mechanical thing in their face pointed his way. He posed for just a few seconds, flipping his ears forward, then apparently felt I'd had my allotment of time and bounced off back down the paddock to the far corner - the one away from people and cameras.

In those few seconds I managed to get a nice portrait of him looking off into the distance...mane blowing in the summer breeze......soul shining in his eyes.

thanks, Steve.

re: Cigar Stories

Bill Two — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:56:16 GMT

What amazes me about Cigar is the fact that his breeding spells T-U-R-F, yet he was unsuccessful on that surface and turned out to be one of the greatest dirt horses we've ever seen. I wonder what his breeder had in mind when the horse was bred??? Surprise, surprise.

re: Cigar Stories

Dr Drunkinbum — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:29:04 GMT

Zookeeper

Thanks for the link. Cigar looks fabulous !!! You bet your life he looks good. Real good. You win $50. He also was the secret word.

re: Cigar Stories

Freetex — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:35:24 GMT

Cigar makes me want to cry. I never saw him race during his career. It was about ten years ago that I discovered him and learned of his greatness. I have visited him at the horse park over the years since and he is all that you say of him.

Now, Steve you make me want to cry.

Thank you for the best birthday present ever.

re: Cigar Stories

Shelby's Best Pal — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 04:22:22 GMT

I loved every word.

re: Cigar Stories

barbaro — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:43:01 GMT

Thank you so much for sharing your Cigar stories; reading about this great horse brings tears to my eyes; he is the horse that got me interested in horse racing (as a fan); His popularity clearly transcended horse racing itself, much like Zenyatta.

re: Cigar Stories

Margaret Ann — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 23:22:03 GMT

I have a poster of Cigar with Jerry Baily up, striding out after the Breeder's Cup at Belmont Park. It came in the Blood Horse edition after the Breeder's Cup in 1995. I taped it up by the corners on my closet and it has never come down. Usually tape dries out and whatever it holds up falls down. But not Cigar's poster. The colours are staying pretty good also, maybe because that side of the room does not get direct light. But I prefer to believe it is because it is Cigar's poster. How can time fade that poster or Cigar himself. When I think of the Cigar Team, I think of this poster, it is a grand picture of Cigar caught at his best.

re: Cigar Stories

Rachel O — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:35:49 GMT

I had the good fortune to meet up with the great Cigar last year just after the 2010 Breeder's Cup and Zenyatta's first and only loss. I stood in front of his stall and spoke to him. He slipped his tongue through the metal grill and gently licked my fingers. He seemed to be saying "I know just exactly how sad you feel about Zenyatta. Been there, done that myself!"

re: Cigar Stories

DustyTrails — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:11:19 GMT

They should make a movie about him like they did with Secretariat and Seabiscuit. I would love to see that with these beautiful stories about him :)

re: Cigar Stories

calico cat — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:41:38 GMT

Thank you Mr.Haskin for another stirring piece on a great horse of the past. I also loved reading the comments from those lucky enough to see Cigar while "he made the earth move". Your blog always brings out the best in people.

I found recent footage of Cigar on YouTube. Nobody told him he's about to turn 22. This one's for you Jockeykid, enjoy!

www.youtube.com/watch

re: Cigar Stories

Rachel Masen — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:20:44 GMT

Cigar was my childhood hero. I always loved horses, but he got me into horse racing. When I finally got to see him in 2009, I cried from joy. Thank you for this reminder. Very few steal our hearts the way Cigar did.

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deb — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:57:49 GMT

wow. what a hoss!

re: Cigar Stories

Rosita712 — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:35:22 GMT

Thank you for this walk down memory lane. I never got to go to his retirement party at the Garden, but would have loved to. Your account of that event was so great I feel like I did go now. Cigar was one of the best I've ever seen and until Zenyatta no other horse made me feel like he did.

re: Cigar Stories

The Deacon — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 06:10:13 GMT

Bravo, bravo Steve what a great Christmas present for your readers. You write stories like Picasso paints a picture, or Mother Teresa eases the soul.

I always find myself wanting more.

I wonder if cigar sales around the U.S. went up when he was racing.....

Merry Xmas Steve to you and your family :)

re: Cigar Stories

Aluminaut — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:29:51 GMT

Wow Steve, thanks so much for this touching tribute to Cigar. Loved the story about flying from San Diego, after staying at the Hotel Del (as locals call it) to Ft. Lauderdale to see Cigar in the Donn. What company and what an experience. You made me feel like I was there with you on the Gulfstream.

I visited Cigar at the Horse Park when I went to Kentucky for the 2006 Breeder's Cup. I must confess that I went to see John Henry. Cathy Robey suggested I go across the hall to visit Cigar. He was kicking back, taking a nap. Later they brought him out for visitors. He was very kind and let people stand with him and pat his face, shoulder and rump.

I saw Cigar run at Del Mar before he was famous. I remembered his sire, the white-faced chestnut Palace Music, and made a point to bet on his son. He sure made us notice him just a year or so later.

re: Cigar Stories

Butterfinger — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 02:07:08 GMT

I will never forget the race that started Cigar's career. The Met mile

and Devil His Due is who he defeated.

I have a very nice print of him and he was one of my all time favorites.