History
Cigar falls in Pacific Classic:
A Classic ending to Cigar's streak
By STEVE ANDERSEN
DEL MAR, Calif. (Aug. 10, 1996) - The dream of every jockey who has
ridden against Cigar this year unfolded for Alex Solis at the top of the
stretch of the Pacific Classic Sunday.
There was Cigar, winner of 16 straight, running an uncharacteristic
race. Instead of pulling away for one of his devastating victories, the
1995 Horse of the Year appeared vulnerable on the lead.
"When I pulled up next to Cigar, I just kept riding," Solis said. "I
knew he was there, but I was just riding, riding, riding. When my horse
pulled out about a length on him, I knew I was going to win it. It felt
terrific. It was one of the best feelings of my life."
Dare and Go, who was supposed to have met Cigar five months ago in
the $4 million Dubai World Cup, pulled a tremendous upset in the Grade I
Pacific Classic, winning by 3 1/2 lengths over Cigar, who was followed
by Siphon, Dramatic Gold and Luthier Fever. Tinners Way was pulled up on
the turn.
Dare and Go, who suffered from ankle injuries earlier this year, paid
$81.20 as the second-longest shot in the six-horse field.
Owned by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's La Presle Farm and trained by
Richard Mandella, who also saddled third-place finisher Siphon, the
Pacific Classic was the biggest triumph in Dare and Go's career, which
includes seven victories in 20 starts and earnings of $1,547,536.
The 5-year-old Alydar horse was announced as a runner Aug. 5, the day
after Helmsman was declared from the race because of a minor injury.
Mandella had been considering the $100,000 Escondido Handicap Friday as
a potential start.
Cigar, the 1-9 favorite, suffered his first loss since having
finished third in an allowance on turf at Belmont Park in October 1994,
the last race prior to his popular winning streak. Saturday's race was
Cigar's second loss in 19 starts on the main track, with the first
coming in his debut, when he was seventh of nine in a maiden race in
February 1993 at Santa Anita.
Owned by Allen Paulson and trained by Bill Mott, Cigar earned
$200,000, pushing his lifetime earnings to $9,019,815 from 18 victories
in 30 starts. Mott mentioned the $500,000 Woodward Stakes at Belmont
Park Sept. 18 as a possible next start for Cigar.
As expected, Hollywood Gold Cup winner Siphon took the lead in the
mile and a quarter race, but Cigar, under Jerry Bailey, was never far
behind. When they crossed under the wire with a mile remaining, Siphon
led by a length over Cigar with Dramatic Gold and Dare and Go chasing.
Siphon set fractions of :23 and :45 4/5 through the first half-mile,
and Cigar, who'd been close to the pace in many of his previous races,
was only a length behind.
On the backstretch, Dramatic Gold, second to Cigar in the Arlington
Citation Challenge last month in Chicago, ranged up three-wide, leaving
him within a half-length of Siphon and Cigar through six furlongs in
1:09 1/5.
But Dramatic Gold faltered quickly, and on the final turn Cigar
passed Siphon, leading by a head after a mile in 1:33 3/5. He led at the
top of the stretch, but Solis, who'd been fourth down the backstretch,
saw his perfect trip unfolding. He took the lead outside the eighth pole
and was timed in 1:59 4/5, two-fifths of a second off Bertrando's 1993
track record set in this race. He received a Beyer Speed Figure of 115.
"I was really happy with the way the race set up early," Solis said.
"I got myself a really good spot down on the rail and saved lots of
ground. I was riding to save my position, and it was working out great."
Dare and Go was Mandella's first Pacific Classic winner after he
finished second in the previous two years with Soul of the Matter and
Bet Pal. Soul of the Matter was considered his best chance to upset
Cigar, but the horse was withdrawn and retired last week after suffering
a ligament injury.
"I'm fortunate that I can have two others to back me up," he said.
Bailey was critical of his ride on the final turn, blaming himself
for letting Cigar race that close to the pace.
"I knew I was running out of horse," he said. "I knew if anyone was
coming on strong, I'd be in trouble. I'm disappointed, but not
disappointed in Cigar. Maybe it's my fault, letting him into the race
too soon. He had done everything I've asked of him, and maybe I expected
too much of him."
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Hirsch on Cigar's loss:
Hirsch on Cigar's loss (Aug. 10, 1996)
By JOE HIRSCH
DEL MAR, Calif. (Aug. 10, 1996) - He won a race, but Cigar had to win
two races here Saturday and he couldn't do it.
Everyone knew Siphon would be the principal challenger. The Brazilian
horse was a smashing winner of last month's Hollywood Gold Cup at the
Pacific Classic distance of a mile and a quarter. As good as he was in
winning the Gold Cup on the lead, after a first mile in 1:35 3/5, he was
even better in the Pacific Classic, to the credit of trainer Dick
Mandella. Siphon ran the mile in 1:33 3/5, and wasn't slowing down.
Cigar had to come and get him, and he did. They matched strides into
the stretch, briefly, and then Cigar put Siphon away and went about his
business. But the victory was achieved at a prohibitive expense, and
when Dare and Go came to him in full flight, he had nothing left to
withstand the bid. Suddenly, one of racing's greatest streaks came to an
end.
The record Del Mar crowd of 44,181 was devastated. They came to see
him win, to be part of a memorable moment they would cherish and recount
forever. Cigar had arrived punctually for so long he was as dependable
as death and taxes, and a good deal more fun.
He didn't let anyone down at Del Mar. He was as dependable as ever.
He had to run big because Siphon rose to the occasion, too. It wasn't
misguided strategy, either, though (trainer) Bill Mott and (jockey)
Jerry Bailey second-guessed themselves. If Cigar hadn't stayed as close
to Siphon as he did, Siphon would have won. We have no doubt about that.
Dare and Go? He ran well to finish second in last month's Bel Air
Handicap but Southern California fans, who knew him best, sent him off
Saturday at almost 40-1.
Again to his credit, Mandella had Dare and Go honed to a sharp edge,
and when Alex Solis asked him to go after Cigar in midstretch, the
response was devastating. He may be able to duplicate his Pacific
Classic form in races ahead, but if he does, it will mark a turn in his
career.
It is Mandella's thinking to point Dare and Go for the Breeders' Cup
Classic at Woodbine in late October and another meeting with Cigar.
Cigar appears to have come out of the Pacific Classic in good order
and is likely to run in Belmont's Woodward in September and/or in the
Jockey Club Gold Cup in early October. He is still the great horse he
has been these past two magnificent seasons for he long ago proved his
quality and courage.
In a way, it is fitting that his streak ended at 16 for he will
forever be compared with Citation, an icon of his time. It is a
comparison that flatters both horses.
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Seabiscuit's match race:
Seabiscuit wins 1938 match race
By DRF REPORTS
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Aug. 13, 1938) -- Many spectators came prepared to
scoff, but remained to cheer.
They expected to witness one of the most one-sided contests ever held
on the American turf, but saw a horse race such as has not been seen
since Exterminator and Boniface staged their terrific duel on Maryland
tracks. Seabiscuit and Ligaroti put on a great show Friday. Never again
will Del Mar stage such a thrilling contest. A race like this comes but
once in a decade.
For hard-running horses and hard-riding jockeys, the
Seabiscuit-Ligaroti clash was a thriller. The only sour note in the
whole affair was the fact that the jockeys, George Woolf and "Specs"
Richardson, became overanxious and used questionable tactics which
caused them to be suspended for the remainder of the meeting, and a
suggestion be made to the California Horse Racing Board that they be
grounded for the remainder of the year.
Wins by a Nose
Seabiscuit defeated Ligaroti by a nose in a mile-and-one-eighth race
which was run in 1:49. Following the running of the event, jockey
Richardson dashed into the stewards' stand and the "inquiry" sign was
run up. Woolf was then called up, and after a session of several minutes
the numbers were posted. The riders left the stand not talking to each
other, and the bitterest of feelings seemed to prevail.
Several hours after the race, jockey George Woolf, one of America's
leading riders, was still angry. He said that Seabiscuit should have won
handily and seemed to hold his riding orders and some interference from
Ligaroti's jockey responsible for Seabiscuit's failure to register a
more clear-cut victory. Woolf said that he had orders to restrain
Seabiscuit and "make a race out of it." Seabiscuit's trainer
underestimated the ability of Ligaroti and it was nip-and-tuck at the
wire.
Nothing to Say
Richardson, rider of Ligaroti, had nothing to say when asked for a
statement Friday night. We told him that we had heard Woolf's side of
the story and would like to print his version, but he stated that he had
been told not to talk.
As we have previously stated, the race was an old-fashioned thriller.
The horses raced head-and-head for practically the entire distance and a
couple of times in the stretch it appeared as if Ligaroti would be the
winner. Richardson rode a rather strange race, but that may be accounted
for by the fact that Ligaroti is a peculiar horse to ride. The South
American likes to "run against the bit," or under a snug hold, which
gave the impression that "Specs" was not riding hard enough.
Jockey Woolf will tell you that Richardson was doing some riding,
however. He claims Richardson caught his whip in midair at the eighth
post and roughed him through the final furlong. Richardson, on the other
hand, claims that Woolf was at fault, and the stewards found them both
guilty.
Loses Ground
Seabiscuit was on the inside all the way, which caused Ligaroti to
take the worst of it in losing ground. But Ligaroti had Seabiscuit in
close quarters several times, particularly in the stretch.
Although there was no wagering on the match, the race brought out a
record crowd and resulted in a pari-mutuel handle of $238,485 for the
day.
Despite the fact that the match race was one of the greatest contests
ever staged in the West, it may be some time before the California Horse
Racing Board will sanction another one. The scheduling of the event
brought forth much unfavorable comment, and the aftermath, resulting in
the suspension of two of America's most popular jockeys, does not sit so
well with the public.
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