Horse Racing Fantasy Community

I know there have been a lot of great racing thoroughbreds throughout history, but what history doesn't tell you is how the public made some of these horses more than others, superstars - in some cases almost rockstars! And, yes, I know there have been some really great horses out there that have won sixteen races in a row like Cigar and they include Citation, Hallowed Dreams, Peppers Pride and Mr. Frisky. But what the statistics won't tell you, with the exception of maybe Citation and that's debatable, there have been few champion thoroughbreds throughout history who have captured the hearts, minds and emotions of the racing fans, not only in America, but around the world. There are a lot of reasons for that. Maybe we need to take a step back in history to understand how a fore-legged animal running around a track can be so embraced by the masses.

Cigar never won the Kentucky Derby or the Preakness or any of those other famous races. He was considered the working man's horse, kind of the theme around the movie Seabiscuit if you've seen it. Cigar, for the most part, earned all of his winnings riding in more traditional stake races later on in his racing career. He was definitely no 2-year-old or 3-year-old champion. He's one of those rare treats that got better, like fine wine, with age.

Back in October in 1995, Cigar would answer the question that both the astute handicapper and casual fan wanted answered. Could this horse, who was virtually once unknown and never looked upon or thought of as one of the greatest ever, win the premier event that racing has to offer - the Breeders' Cup Classic? Though his jockey, now retired world-reknown Jerry Bailey, was confident, there were those critics who questioned the horse and his ability going into the Classic event, which would not only surely tie up his honors for Thoroughbred Horse of the Year, but would raise his career earnings by another $1.5 million. It would also be the first time that Cigar would carry more than 126 pounds. Going to post in this Classic historic event , he carried 136 pounds on his back.

When you think of sports legends, superstars, top athletes, guys like Babe Ruth, Joe Montana, Tiger Woods, even basketball legend Michael Jordan, it's really hard to think about a horse, especially one that never participated in any of the Triple Crown events to actually be considered among such an elite group. But, on October 28, 1995, at Belmont Racetrack in Elmont, NY, the 5-year-old Cigar stamped his name in history by winning the $3 million Classic. When Jerry Bailey, wearing the red-white-blue silks of owner Allen Paulson, asked Cigar to go, he exploded, never looked back and history was made. At that point in time, even the doubters became believers. Cigar was the real deal!

Cigar didn't have the speed like the great horse Seattle Slew or the size and presence of world champion Secretariat, but what he did have and what you could never see by looking at him was the heart of a lion and the will to win.

Today, at least for now, the record of 16 wins stands among 5 horses, and I'm sure one day that record will be broken. If you really want to change racing history, maybe it's you who should break that record. Cigar is part of our Greatest Male Horses 3-year-olds and Up of the 1990s. Owning that file will give you the ability to not only relive some of those incredible moments, but actually take the reins and jockey this champion to victory in all different types of events you set up. Yes, Cigar never won any of the Triple Crown races, but you can change that. When adding that file to your collection, you can turn back time and bring Cigar back to his 3-year-old racing age and test him on the dirt in the Kentucky Derby held at Churchill Downs or the Preakness run at Pimlico Race Course, or the Belont Stakes run at Elmont, NY. Maybe you'll win all three races with Cigar, or maybe you'll win the first and second leg only - or, just maybe you won't win at all. You never know until you try to change history. And, while you're crossing that finish line, just for a second think about what Jerry Bailey felt on that October day in 1995 when Cigar won the Breeders' Cup Classic.

It's your job to help Cigar continue his winning streak and follow the words of the track announcers as he crosses the finish line - the incredible, the unbeatable Cigar!