The $500,000 dollar, Grade 2 Cigar Mile is Saturday at Aqueduct Park.

It is the final Graded Stakes race of the year on the NYRA circuit.

The one-turn mile brings together a couple different groups of horses: ones that usually run in sprints at a mile or less, and the others that often run in longer races around two turns.

The Cigar Mile Handicap began in 1988 as the NYRA Mile. 

In 1994 it was Won by a record 7 lengths by the legendary CIGAR and the race was renamed for the horse in 1997. 

Notable horses including FORTY NINER, RUBIANO, CONGAREE, TO HONOR AND SERVE, as well as the aforementioned CIGAR have all Won this contest.

CONGAREE Won the race in back-to-back years in 2002 and 2003 under jockey Jerry Bailey, who holds the record for Wins by a jockey with five.  

Trainer Todd Pletcher has Won the race a record four times. 

In 2014 Belmont Stakes Winner TONALIST became the first Breeders’ Cup Classic Winner to also win the Cigar Mile.

The race is run annually in late November, early December. This year’s contest drew a very competitive field of eleven runners.

The entrees include five horses with more than $1 million dollars in career earnings- including SENOR BUSCADOR, his $12.9 million in earnings ranks 10th all-time among thoroughbreds.

The race is slated as race 9 on a card of 10 with a scheduled Post Time of 3:35.