Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Cigar Mile Handicap Field at Aqueduct November 28
Posted on Friday, November 27th, 2009
Aqueduct‘s 21st running of the $300,000 Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile (G1), the headline of a race card that includes the Gazelle Stakes (G1), Remsen Stakes (G2) and Demoiselle Stakes (G2), has attracted its customary elite field for what is the final Grade 1 race of the year in New York.
The Cigar Mile Handicap field of race horses with jockeys, weight and morning line odds line up as follows:
- Driven by Success under jockey Ramon Dominguez carries 114 lbs. with morning line odds of 6-1
- Kodiak Kowboy under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, 120 lbs., 2-1
- Pyro under jockey Richard Migliore, 120 lbs., 9-5
- Bribon (FR) under jockey Rajiv Maragh, 119 lbs., 5-2
- Vineyard Haven under jockey Alan Garcia, 118 lbs., 9-5
- Vacation under jockey John Velazquez, 114 lbs., 15-1
In his first Grade 1 race in the United States, Marc Keller’s Bribon came charging hard through the stretch to finish a close-up third in the 2008 Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile, immediately establishing his credentials as a top middle-distance horse.
Saturday, having won the Grade 1 Metropolitan Handicap back in May, the 6-year-old gelding Bribon will be attempting to do something no race horse has managed to accomplish since the race was first run in 1988: bookend his season with victories in two of the most prestigious races in New York.
Standing in Bribon’s way are a trio of brilliant sprinters in Kodiak Kowboy, Pyro, and Vineyard Haven, as well as the hard-knocking Driven by Success and the improving Vacation.
“It’s been a long year,” said race horse trainer Bobby Ribaudo, whose charge Bribon is 5-2 on the morning line under 119 pounds. “I remember getting ready for this race last year — it was his first big attempt — and it seems like we haven’t stopped since. He’s doing good, though. I know what he’s capable of.”
Owned by Vinery Stables and Fox Hill Farm, the 4-year-old Kodiak Kowboy is already a proven quantity in New York, having added last month’s Vosburgh (G1) at Belmont Park to his victory earlier in the year in the Carter (G1) at the Big A, Aqueduct.
Trained by Steve Asmussen, the 4-year-old son of Posse, Kodiak Kowboy — who also won the 2007 Saratoga Special and last year’s Amsterdam (G2) at Saratoga Race Course and Sport Page (G3) at Belmont Park — is 2-1 and is co-high weighted with Pyro at 120 pounds.
Pyro has found his niche at age 4 as a sprinter for his new owner, Godolphin Stables, notching the first Grade 1 of his career in September when he upset Kodiak Kowboy in the 7-furlong Forego at Saratoga. With victories at distances ranging from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles around two turns, the one-turn mile at Aqueduct would seem to be well within his scope.
“It’s a question of whether he’ll get the pace, plus he’s got to get past some pretty good horses in Bribon and Kodiak Kowboy,” said Godolphin assistant race horse trainer Rick Mettee. “A one-turn mile is a good race — it takes a good horse to win it.”
Race horse trainer Rick Mettee will also be saddling Godolphin’s 3-year-old Vineyard Haven in the Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile Handicap. A dual Grade 1 winner at age 2 when running for the late Hall of Fame race horse trainer Bobby Frankel, Vineyard Haven was purchased by Godolphin and sent to Dubai in the hopes of a Triple Crown run, but suffered an injury and did not return to the races until late August.
In his first start back, the gray son of Lido Palace finished first in the Grade 1 King’s Bishop at Saratoga, but was disqualified to second. Two months later, he came roaring from off the pace to take the DeFrancis Dash (G1) at Laurel Park in only his third start of 2009.
“He’s still a lightly raced 3-year-old,” said Mettee. “That’s what makes this race interesting — it brings together a diverse field.”
Repole Stable’s 4-year-old New York-bred gelding, Driven by Success, has more than held his own in Grade 1 company this year, finishing third in the Carter and Met Mile. With a record of 4-3-4 from 13 starts, his only two off-the-board outings came when he was compromised at the break in both the Toboggan (G3) at Aqueduct in March and in the Forego.
The Phipps Stable’s Vacation will be returning to dirt for the first time since the spring, having fashioned a record of 3-0-4 over synthetics and turf including a victory in the Hanshin Cup Handicap (G3) at Arlington Park and an optional claiming win at Keeneland in his most recent start. Nosed out in Aqueduct’s Pass the Tab Stakes last November, the 4-year-old son of Dynaformer also has a pair of seconds in maiden company here at a mile.
The Cigar Mile Handicap is race 9 in Aqueduct’s Holiday Fest race card. Cigar Mile Handicap post time is 3:38 pm Eastern.
Horse racing news edited from www.nyra.com.
Tags: Bribon, Driven by Success, Kodiak Kowboy, Pyro, Vacation, Vineyard Haven
"Cigar Mile Handicap Field at Aqueduct November 28" was posted on Friday, November 27th, 2009 at 11:11 am and is filed under Aqueduct, Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News, Stakes Races, USA Horse Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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