Hoist The Gold was an impressive gate-to-wire winner in the 2023 Cigar Mile and this year’s field has plenty of front-end speed.
NYRA
The Cigar Mile has offered a chance at late-year Stakes glory since 1988. Run in New York at Aqueduct, this drive. over some northeast dirt has produced some fantastic finishes and outstanding performances. A three-year-old Forty Niner won the inaugural event when it was called the NYRA Mile and many other runners have capped their year with stallion-making efforts. Renamed in 1997 for the magnificent 1994 race winner Cigar, this now grade 2 event carries a purse of $500,000. Let’s take a look at the field for this 37th running. The entrants will be listed by post position with trainer, jockey, and morning line provided. Carded as race 10, the Cigar Mile has an expected post time of 3:37 pm eastern.
1 Doc Sullivan (John Ortiz, Ricardo Santana 5-1)- This New York-bred has been in the top three in fourteen of nineteen lifetime starts and comes in off an impressive five and a half length score in his last start. No graded stakes wins on the resume but this field might just offer the prescription the Doc is looking for. A real contender.
2 Mika (Mike Maker, Manuel Franco 12-1)- This three-year-old son of Catholic Boy is coming in off two-consecutive wins including a 14 ½ length triumph at Laurel Park last out. This is the first graded stakes start so the water will certainly be deeper here, but if left alone on the lead, this front-runner might just steal the show.
3 Pentathlon (Shug McGaughey, Junior Alvarado 10-1)- Another runner coming in off a win but also another with no Stakes victories. This will be the first graded Stakes start for this son of Speightstown so not so sure he medals here.
4 Crazy Mason (Greg Sacco, Irad Ortiz Jr. 7-2)-It wouldn’t be too Crazy to think this late-running son of Coal Front could chase down some hot pace-setters. His closing kick makes him dangerous and the added distance might be exactly what this sprinter needs. His last five starts have been in graded Stakes company with one win, one second, and two third place finishes.
5 Brazenly (Jeremiah Englehart, John Velazquez 30-1)- Big longshot but a real veteran. This eight-year-old son of Grazen will be making his fourteenth start this year and career trip number forty to the starting gates. Not sure this is the spot for his first graded stakes start or win, but you can’t score if you don’t shoot.
6 Phileas Fogg (Gustavo Rodriguez, Joel Rosario 9-5)-Having finished in the top two in fourteen of twenty lifetime starts, this five-year-old son of Astern has been consistent. Eight of his last nine races has seen top two finishes with five wins. He cuts back in distance and likely has eyes on a gate-to-wire win.
7 Bishops Bay (Brad Cox, Flavien Prat 2-1)-This five-year-old son of Uncle Mo has eight wins in twelve lifetime starts and comes in having won five of his last six. A stalking style might be exactly what is needed in race that promises to have plenty of pace. The top pick here as trainer-jockey tandem is one of the best.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/dannybrewer/2025/12/04/a-rundown-of-the-cigar-mile-at-aqueduct/
