Cigar was the best horse in the last 30 years

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

It wasn't in 1970?

That years Horse of the Year, champion 2yo filly, champion 3yo male, champion 3yo filly, champion older mare, champion handicap horse, champion Grass horse and champion steeplechase horse all made at least one start at the four week long '70 Saratoga meet.

Only the champion 2yo male and the champion sprinter didn't. The champion 2yo male didn't debut until after Saratoga was finished - and while the champion sprinter didn't run there - she ran there both of the previous two years.

I don't see how you can say the meet wasn't that important. That's a lot of action for four weeks.

I did not say that good horses did not run there but Belmonts fall meet was considered much more important which is not the case anymore.