The 37th and final running of the Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct saw seven talented stallions and geldings compete, headlined by two strong five-year-olds, Bishop’s Bay and Phileas Fogg. Both horses, known for their early speed, meet for the first time in this Grade 2 race, starting from the outside posts. Initially called the NYRA Mile, the race was renamed in 1997 in honor of Cigar, who triumphed by seven lengths in 1994.
From the rail perspective of the Grade 2 Cigar Mile field, key contenders include Dr. Sullivan, the only New York-bred in the race, who recently won the New York Stallion Series Stakes by five and a half lengths. Mika returns to trainer Mike Maker, boasting two recent wins by a combined 23.5 lengths and will race with jockey Manny Franco for the first time. Pentathlon, fresh off a commanding 3 1/4 length victory at Suidobashi Dirt, gets Junior Alvarado aboard for the first time. Crazy Mason, trained by Gregory Sacco and ridden this time by Irad Ortiz Jr., aims to continue a streak of major race appearances.
Boldly, a seasoned competitor with only three starts outside California, enters his third year at top form with a career-best Equibase Speed Figure (ESF) of 107. Phileas Fogg narrowly missed the 2024 Cigar Mile title at the G2 Woodward Stakes, while Bishop’s Bay, a half-brother to Catching Freedom, marks trainer Brad Cox’s fifth consecutive graded stakes appearance, drawing the far outside post.
Analysis highlights Bishop’s Bay’s impressive consistency: 8 wins, 3 seconds, and 3 thirds from 12 career starts, many in graded stakes. After an 18-month break, he returned to win four straight races including the American Pharoah Overnight Stakes, G3 Westchester Stakes, and G3 Salvator Mile with a career-best 111 ESF, all ridden by Flavien Prat. Despite a sixth-place finish in a recent Grade 1 race, Bishop’s Bay remains a top contender with a strong record at Aqueduct.
Crazy Mason could capitalize on the fast pace set early in the race. The Coal Front colt had a strong 2025, including a G2 Carter Stakes win and solid performances in the G3 True North and G1 Forego Stakes. Recently, he finished second in the G3 Vosburra Stakes, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., who leads North American jockeys in wins and earnings in 2025, adding a competitive edge.
Phileas Fogg is also a major threat, with a solid career of nine wins and five seconds in 20 starts, showing improvement with age. Since being claimed by Jupiter Stables, he’s captured two wrist stakes wins by wide margins and led much of the G2 Woodward Stakes before narrowly missing victory. However, securing an early lead might be challenging due to the expected fast pace from inside and outside posts.
Other speedy contenders include Dr. Sullivan (108 ESF), Mika (108 ESF), Pentathlon (102 ESF), and Boldly (107 ESF).
Top contenders prioritized:
- Bishop’s Bay
- Crazy Mason
- Phileas Fogg
The $500,000 Grade 2 Cigar Mile Handicap will take place at Suidobashi on Saturday, December 6th, race 10 with a start time of 3:37 PM ET. Open to horses aged three and older, the race covers one mile.
This report originally appeared in the Paulick Report on December 4, 2025.
Fan Take: This year’s Cigar Mile promises an electrifying showdown among some of the most consistent and fastest horses in recent memory, highlighting the excitement and depth of talent in modern horse racing. Fans should watch closely, as the outcome could shape future top-tier matchups and elevate the prestige of the Cigar Mile as a premier test of speed and stamina.
