Cigar's maiden win...

[Thunder Gulch]

It may be in the extreme, but with all the talk this spring about synthetic to dirt, Cigar's career is a clear example of how the surface can mean everything in determining the success of a racer. Couldn't win on turf, then doesn't lose for two years on dirt. Wonder what would have happended to him on the rubber?

[magic_idol]

Originally Posted by Thunder Gulch

It may be in the extreme, but with all the talk this spring about synthetic to dirt, Cigar's career is a clear example of how the surface can mean everything in determining the success of a racer. Couldn't win on turf, then doesn't lose for two years on dirt. Wonder what would have happended to him on the rubber?

Yes would be very interesting was wondering that myself about a few horses recently street cry for ex produced a great dirt horse his produce suck on turf with synthetic tracks popping up everywhere
Will we see will we see a new breed just for rubber ?

[Dunbar]

Listening to Denman do the call, it sounded more like Cigar was already midway through the long winning streak than the maiden he was. Actually gave me chills.

Take away the turf, and Cigar won 18 of 22 starts, with two 2nds and one 3rd (the close 3rd in the '96 BC Classic). His lone out-of-the-money finish on dirt was his first race.

I drove 200 miles to NY to see he next-to-last race. A good racing-fan start for my 3-yr-old son, too: getting to see Skip Away and Cigar battle it out in the stretch.

--Dunbar