Cigar was the best horse in the last 30 years

For some reason on his radioshow Steve Byk doesn't want to give the horse the credit he deserves. If you look at what he did how can you argue he was a truly great horse. Nobody has done anything close to his 1995 season. I had to correct myself, it is just shy of 30 years, so lets say 25 years.


Career Highlights:
Undefeated in 1995, winning 10 of 10 starts, 8 of them Gr. I.
1995 Champion Handicap Male
1995 Horse of the Year
1996 Champion Handicap Male
1996 Horse of the Year
1996 Hwt Older Horse in UAE 9.5-11F
Carried 130 pounds to victory in the '96 Massachusetts Handicap.
Won 16 straight races from the Oct. 28, 1994 NYRA Mile through the July 13, 1996 Arlington Citation Challenge. Lost the 17th race, the Aug. 19, 1996 Pacific Classic (Gr. I) after engaging in a speed duel with Siphon, setting up a win by Dare and Go.
Cigar shares his 16 win streak with only one other North American runner in this century, Citation.
Won the inaugural running of the Dubai World Cup in 1996. Despite lacking a Gr. I status, it attracted the most accomplished (money earned) field in racing history to that point.
Won a total of 11 Gr. Is and the Dubai World Cup.
Retired as the leading North American money earner of all time with $9,999,813, a record which stands to this day.
Race Record

[letswastemoney]

Doesn't Mister Frisky and Hallowed Dreams also share that record

[dellinger63]

IMO he is the Larry Holmes of racing. Unfortunately or fortunately for him he faced little competition. Horses who finished 2nd to him in Grade I's include L 'Carriere (twice), Wekivia Springs, Unacconted For, Star Standard, Tinners Way, Devil His Due (twice), Pride of Bukaan and Primitive Hall. Hardly a bunch of world beaters.


Horses he lost to in Grade I's include Alphabet Soup, Explosive Red, Skip Away and Dare and Go. He was the best in the mid 90's when racing was weak.

[NoChanceToDance]

Personally, i'd have to say that The Green Monkey is the best horse in the last 30 years

[Slewbopper]

I guess Slew, Affirmed, and Bid were chopped liver. They would have all eaten him for lunch. I won't get into the Holy Bull debate. Just think Bull would have beaten him more often than not.

[smuthg]

The last 30 years picks up Slew, Affirmed, and the Bid. Love Cigar, but don't think he could run with that crew...

I think there is a decent argument that Cigar was the best horse since the inception of the Breeders' Cup and a pretty strong argument that he's in the Top 5 since then.

[2Hot4TV]

Originally Posted by smuthg

The last 30 years picks up Slew, Affirmed, and the Bid. Love Cigar, but don't think he could run with that crew...

We know he couldn't run with them. You had to see Spectacular Bid run to really understand how good he was.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by 2Hot4TV

We know he couldn't run with them. You had to see Spectacular Bid run to really understand how good he was.

An argument could be made that Cigar is the best since The Bid...certainly I have huge respect for several others but I would never say Cigar would be overmatched against any horse since the Bid retired.

[alysheba4]

Originally Posted by smuthg

The last 30 years picks up Slew, Affirmed, and the Bid. Love Cigar, but don't think he could run with that crew...

I think there is a decent argument that Cigar was the best horse since the inception of the Breeders' Cup and a pretty strong argument that he's in the Top 5 since then.

.......in 1988 alysheba would have bitch slapped him.....hard.

[disappearingdan_akaplaya]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

IMO Holy Bull was a better horse than Cigar. As was Ghostzapper, Mineshaft, Formal Gold and Skip Away.

LOL@ the might mineshaft who ducked the big 1@anita(well connections did) and who only prevailed in 5 horse fields, and got worked in large ones against the likes of BS and PD

[KirisClown]

Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex were the best horses in the last 30 years... it's not even close.

Both were true champions, with hearts the size of the racetrack... They would have laughed at horses like Holy Bull, Cigar, Skip Away.. etc.

[The Bid]

Cigar couldnt have gotten Spectacular Bid out of a jog.

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by KirisClown

Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex were the best horses in the last 30 years... it's not even close.

Rankings like this are by nature a little arbitrary so I usually don't like to say something like "You are wrong" in a discussion like this. But I will make an exception in this case. You are wrong.
I would like for you to explain to me how horses like Affirmed, Spectacular Bid, Sunday Silence, etc. etc. etc. are "not even close" to being as good as the two you mentioned. I mean I know those three aren't in the same league as the likes of Birdstone and Giacomo, but they were pretty good.

[cowgirlintexas]

Originally Posted by DaHoss9698

Yep that one. Not really sure "worked" is the way I would describe his getting beat by Perfect Drift though. Unless I missed something and getting "worked" means getting beat a head. He was also second in the other "working" he got by Balto Star. Yeah he sucked. Real pigs win 4 grade 1's in a year. Keep up the good work!

Speaking of Balto Star... You know I have him on my "DRF horse watch list" and every so often (recently as last month) I get a workout for the old guy....
How old is that horse now?

[brianwspencer]

Originally Posted by Hail2Reason

For some reason on his radioshow Steve Byk doesn't want to give the horse the credit he deserves. If you look at what he did how can you argue he was a truly great horse. Nobody has done anything close to his 1995 season.

Career Highlights:
Undefeated in 1995, winning 10 of 10 starts, 8 of them Gr. I.
1995 Champion Handicap Male
1995 Horse of the Year
1996 Champion Handicap Male
1996 Horse of the Year
1996 Hwt Older Horse in UAE 9.5-11F
Carried 130 pounds to victory in the '96 Massachusetts Handicap.
Won 16 straight races from the Oct. 28, 1994 NYRA Mile through the July 13, 1996 Arlington Citation Challenge. Lost the 17th race, the Aug. 19, 1996 Pacific Classic (Gr. I) after engaging in a speed duel with Siphon, setting up a win by Dare and Go.
Cigar shares his 16 win streak with only one other North American runner in this century, Citation.
Won the inaugural running of the Dubai World Cup in 1996. Despite lacking a Gr. I status, it attracted the most accomplished (money earned) field in racing history to that point.
Won a total of 11 Gr. Is and the Dubai World Cup.
Retired as the leading North American money earner of all time with $9,999,813, a record which stands to this day.
Race Record

I don't know if I'd say the last 30 years, but he was certainly a great horse -- one of the very best I've ever been able to see.

However, I always tend to think of Skip Away as the best horse to run in America since I started following racing.