May The Great Cigar RIP

[Man o Taz]

Our visit to the Kentucky Horse Park was less for Cigar not being there.

I guess his absence was more serious than we had hoped/thought.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/87876/racing-hall-of-famer-cigar-dead-at-24

He will be sorely missed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydT4SRxZT1Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1kikovAiCY

I'll never forget in 1996 coming home from Kentucky - our first visit there - and catching his loss in the Pacific Classic on the Armed Forces Radio Network.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzjgErXMvkM

[afleetphil]

I don't use the word " Great " very often, saving that term for Secretariat. But I will call him today the great Cigar. He was a great horse. Sad day today.

[Delamont]

Amen.  Just learned of this via Facebook. 

[Man o Taz]

Other than our Triple Crown winners and Lady Secret, and perhaps Zenyatta, I know of few horses with the durability that Cigar had.

Talent is one thing, but in today's environment being able to sustain that level of excellence is truly remarkable.

Cigar was able to do that time and time again racing at numerous race tracks coast to coast.

33-19-4-5

Earnings of $9,999,815 (2nd most all-time for a North American based horse)
14 wins in stakes races.
11 Grade 1 wins (8 in a single year)
At distances between 8 and 10 furlongs.

Is there any horse that ran more triple digit beyers?

Here are his PPs from DRF:
https://www1.drf.com/hcponline/samples/269.pdf

Here is Steve Haskin's farewell to Cigar
http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse-racing-steve-haskin/archive/2014/10/08/haskin-farewell-to-cigar.aspx

[Man o Taz]

Fleetness, quickness, grace and aplomb
Gifts he was given from Heaven above
A spirit and courage to perfect his run
Like Troy's grandson which he was

Mott and Bailey became the team
Around the world he would race and win
This handsome colt would shine and gleam
And at the line, just confidence

Spawned by the music of kings
An elegant dancer, the wickedest prancer
Any challenge this temporal world could bring
To this bay romancer, he had the answer

God's imprint upon his head said lighting 
His might the eleventh commandment
Fierce creature of mine thou shalt win
He proved it to all again and again

Not Bucephalus, Secretariat, nor Man Of War
He is the "incomparable, invincible, unbeatable" – Cigar

[curtis]

I may be one of the few who only saw Cigar win in person on the turf--at Del Mar in 1993.  The other two times I saw him in person were the 1993 Volante at Oak Tree in which he finished second and his ill fated 1996 Pacific Classic.  I was uncharacteristically absent for the 1995 hollywood Gold Cup as I was on my honeymoon.  He was a magnificent animal who was allowed to and accomplished great things.  As I read elsewhere, Camelot has ended with his passing. 

[Man o Taz]

Never got to see him in person when he was racing.

I was just getting into racing then - and the only competitive racing I would really go to see in person was at Monmouth Park and the Haskell. My first Haskell was Kissin Kris and I've seen every one since except Menifee's in 1999.

As a result, I missed seeing a lot of great horses, Cigar included. But then I must have seen Skip Away - at least once.