The year - at least the part that matters in this game - ended Saturday, and ended the right way. On a day when a few people actually cared about horse racing, Cigar, the best horse the sport has produced since disco was cool, went out and kicked some butt in the Breeders' Cup Classic. It just could not have been any better.
What usually happens now, when they get this good and this exciting, is the rich guys collect their money, say their thank-yous and haul the horse off to the breeding shed, where they disappear from public consciousness. Fame cannot come without longevity, not when so much that happens in racing happens in front of only the few diehards who still care. But this one is different. This Cigar thing, as good as it has been, is just getting started.Owner Allen Paulson, a rich guy but a rich guy who is a sportsman, confirmed Sunday that Cigar will run next year as a 6-year-old. Sure, more often than not these things never quite work out. After all, everyone thought Holy Bull would be the one reminding us right now of Citation, Dr. Fager, Seattle Slew, et al. He, of course, never made it past February.
Any horse could go at any time, but Cigar appears to be pretty sound. And trainer Bill Mott is a huge plus. He simply makes no mistakes, and if anyone can keep Cigar healthy through the year it is him.
There's no reason Cigar shouldn't hold up through the year, win everything in sight, break every record around, and get a few people excited about this silly sport.
"People said that New Yorkers don't get into these things, but after watching how the crowd reacted I realize how much interest there is in him," Paulson said. "Anything we can do to help racing we've got to do. It's been on a downhill run. The great thing about his win is that I think racing got a hero."
The major goal of the early part of the season will be the March 27 Dubai World Cup, a $4 million race thrown together by the ruling family of Dubai, which owns all the good horses in Dubai. In the desert, running over a track that is mainly sand, Cigar will have one of his greatest challenges.
"It'll be a great challenge," Mott said. "That's what will make it fun and interesting. We've probably done whatever we needed to do over here. It's time to play another game."
He'll have a prep for that race at Gulfstream Park, probably in the Donn Handicap. That race is scheduled for Feb. 10, but don't be the least bit surprised if it is changed to whatever date Mott and Paulson want it run on. The March 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap is another option.
With wins in the Donn and in Dubai, his earnings would increase to $7,669,815, which will shatter Alysheba's record of $6,679,242.