Was Cigar More Powerful Than Citation And Secretariat To Be Called A Superstar?

By Author: Lee Lane-Edgar
Total Articles: 365
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In the year 1989, Solar Slew by Seattle Slew was bred by Palace Music (by The Minstrel), to give birth to the invincible Horse of the Decade, Cigar who went on to become the highest money earner in horse racing history only to be surpassed by Curlin in the year 2008.

The ‘Racing’s Superstar’ as proclaimed by NBC’s race host Tom Durkin, Cigar shot to a point of unequalled fame with his victory of record time of 1:59.58 at the 1 ¼ miles Breeder’s Cup Classic winning a purse worth $3million; Cigar was riding the lucky streak with 16 consecutive wins out of 19 victories in 33 starts. Cigar retired in 1996 with a staggering career earnings of $9,999,813.

Cigar was quite disappointment as he started his racing career with little to show off until he was four years old. The horse had a barren racing career as a two year old making his maiden break only after turning three. Cigar’s first year of racing was a short lived affair with nine starts and only two wins. He placed in two Grade 3 races which of course failed to catch any attention on the serious and more professional racing front.

The 1990 ...
... foal had a decade in front of him when he found foot on the racing tracks opening his four year old season with third place finishes at the Saratoga Race Course and the Belmont Park. However Cigar was allowed on last opportunity to prove his mettle before being shelved for the season and ahead, the 1 mile allowance race at the Aqueduct witnessed Cigar galloping to the wire with an eight lengths lead; the beginning was made, there was no looking back.

The five year old season of 1995 was a winning streak for the colt. Always prevailing on at least a length’s lead, Cigar paraded a series of victories into the face of all those who had even for once thought he wasn’t worth the money shelled. What started as the two lengths win at Gulfstream Park followed by the fateful yet exciting defeat of Holy Bull by Cigar, one led to another and Cigar was riding the 16 consecutive wins trail. The Gulfstream Park Handicap and then the Oaklawn Handicap, winning the former by 7 ½ lengths and the latter by 2 ½ lengths, Pimlico Special and the Massachusetts Handicap; Cigar was on a rampage leaving no room for error.

He was on a perfect winning spree where he even captured the harder California surface at Hollywood Gold Cup followed by the more of a deadly combination of Woodward Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup and eventually the 1995 Breeder’s Cup Classic. Cigar was now the Horse of the Year and also the U.S. Champion Older Male Horse.

Cigar had not only held fort at the U.S. but he invaded the world racing scene with his opening at the Dubai World Cup defeating Soul of the Matter by less than a length, Cigar had stamped the first ever most highly prized $5,000,000 race with his incredible victory making him the most influential horse of the decade. Cigar the equalled Citation’s winning streak of 16 races with his victory at the Arlington Park and closing it with Woodward Stakes in 1996.

Owing to his infertility, having Cigar breed an unparalleled progeny manifested into an unfulfilled dream. He now resides at Horse Park in Kentucky.

Cigar’s racing career may have ended on the real horse racing front but horseracegame.com revives this incredible Super Star bringing him alive on the virtual horse racing arena. Play online 3D games with immersive simulations of Cigar, Citation and just any horse that may have fared well on the racing scene. Horse racing games does justice to every player. And while Cigar failed to have a legendary saga of his own through his offspring, the online 3D games allow users to breed, train and race the impossible, win real prizes and also VIP privileges. It’s completely engaging madness and there’s never going to be enough of this. Register online and join the fever now!