Cigar Breeders Cup Classic 1995 + post race coverage

[DanielSong39]

Secretariat won the Triple Crown, but was 1 for 3 against open company on dirt. Affirmed also won the Triple Crown but was nowhere near Seattle Slew and Exceller.

Triple Crown is an amazing accomplishment, but open company provides a new set of challenges. One can't dismiss a perfect season running a full schedule vs. top competition in open company - there's a reason why it's only been done 4 times.

[pleasantcolony]

Here's a Racehorse! Once he learned what to do he put his heart into it! 17 in a row! we might not see that again.Waits patiently until asked! That's how it is done!I was disappointed when he was declared infertile. What babies he would of produced. It's a shame. I saw him & the great John Henry at Kentucky Horse park. What I would give to have those 2 in my stable. They were just a great pleasure to be around.

[yipyappyyip]

Only the very good ones are "push button" like Cigar's move 3f out...

[bnegs521]

"The incomparable, invincible, unbeatable Cigar!!" One of the best calls ever.

[umarmaxmas]

@bnegs521 you need to listen/watch to 2005 jockey club gold cup.

[bnegs521]

@umarmaxmas

That was an incredible move by Borrego!! Thanks for pointing that out to me. But as for the call? Not even close for me. I remember watching that Cigar BC Classic race and just having chills at the call by Durkin. A perfect season.

[umarmaxmas]

@bnegs521 i think tom loved cigar.

[bnegs521]

@umarmaxmas

I think you'd be right.

[voodoo9606]

@bnegs521 can u tell me 1 or more of that horse.. rocco.. ive been looking an cant find 1.. thanks

[keyserbo]

Pretty solid that one of Davey Johnson's most prolific and memorable calls of his career had nothing to do w/ "and down the stretch they come". Love the call & Love the 'Gar.

[Between3and25]

Am pretty sure that is Tom Durkin, not Dave Johnson, calling that race.

[bnegs521]

It's Durkin.

[Rodney81818]

It was actually Tom Durkin who was the announcer on this race.

[DanielSong39]

Man O'War in '20, Tom Fool in '54, Spectacular Bid in '80, and Cigar in '95...

Perfect seasons, while facing the best racing had to offer. An accomplishment that far outshines the Triple Crown, by my book.

[dessiesdoneit]

i dont think so, to win the 3 classics in a short space of time takes sum doing, i would take a loss or two to win the triple crown, zenyatta had a perfect season but what did she achieve?

[DanielSong39]

Zenyatta ran half a season and ran mostly against second-rate competition.

But how about a perfect season vs. open company while running a full schedule? Man O'War, Tom Fool, Spectacular Bid, and Cigar are the only horses to accomplish that feat. Man O'War ran 11 races; Tom Fool, 10; Spectacular Bid, 9; and Cigar, 10. Not only did they win more races, they did it against the best racing had to offer.

[saveus228]

didn't Cigar begin the year with Allowance wins?

[DanielSong39]

One allowance win at the start of the year.

The remaining races were all against open company; 8 of the 9 were Grade I and one was a Grade II.

[DanielSong39]

Quality older horses are generally better than top 3-year-olds and that has to be taken into account. Look at Affirmed in 1978; he owned the crop of 3-year-olds (which included the talented Alydar) but needed binoculars to find Seattle Slew and Exceller in his races vs. open company.

[tjprzewo]

Wow, and in HQ too. Thanks. I've seen Cigar at the Kentucky Horse Park a few times now. Before they bring him out, they show highlights from his streak. I always get tears in my eyes!

[betuski89]

This horse is the reason i started to love horse racing since i was 6 years old i would go to the nearby racetrack with my dad just to go see him race in LIVE and also is the reason why i started gambling on horses when i was 18 yrs old lol

[johnwark]

If there's been a better commentary I haven't heard it

[Skoshi33]

It's the last half in 47 that speaks to the push button cadillac that Cigar was. An owner's delight.

[lengua92]

thanks for this footage i will make a new video abou him do you let me use this?

[Dingerz]

No problem!  You can certainly use it. :)

[lengua92]

thanks

[Rodney81818]

Thanks for the post race footage. Cigar is one of my all-time favorites. Thanks again.

[GobinHalilal]

Sure the track was sloppy, but anyone who knows Belmont knows that the main track is usually at its fastest when it is wet.

[GobinHalilal]

I never could understand Durkin's comment "Look at this time over this racetrack."

Inside Information ran a blistering time in the distaff and that record still stands today. Unbridled's Song and My Flag also set stakes records, and as far as I remember, every main track race that day was a stakes record, with the exception of the sprint. This is another case of Tom really trying to over-hype a performance when he need not do it. The track was lightning fast that day.

[lengua92]

1:59 in sloppy track and you are saying that wasnt a fast run?

cigar broke the stakes record of the classic that day, with a final time of 1:59.58. Until that day the record was 2:00.20 (ap indy and sunday silence). Cigar broke that record by almost a second and in that conditions. one of the greatest ever

[DanielSong39]

You can argue about the quality of the time but not the quality of his performance. He rated nicely, made a huge move around the turn and easily held off all comers... what else does he have to do? Sprout wings and fly?

[westxlcr]

Hehe, he sure was flying in this race!

[BigStevie1974]

Awesome comms!!

The incomparable........

[javaqwe]

Cigar.. what a horse!