2016 Cigar Mile Handicap Betting Odds & Preview

OffTrackBetting.com - The G1 Cigar Mile Handicap is on tap for Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, New York on Saturday, November 26. A nice purse of $500,000 will be on the line for horses three years old and upward willing to go one mile on Aqueduct's dirt track.

A field of 10 will take to the track in the Cigar Mile - race 10 on Aqueduct's busy Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:20 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all 10 combatants for this G1 stakes.

2016 Cigar Mile Handicap Entries at Aqueduct

Anchor Down 2-1 - Todd Pletcher trained Ringling has 16 career starts with five wins, two seconds and two third place finishes. He posted an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Belmont Park last July but failed to place in his next five starts including a fifth in the G3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes in August and a fourth after getting DQ'd from third in the G2 Gulfstream Park Handicap March 5, 2015. He arrives off a career-best effort however - a win with a 108 Beyer Speed Figure in the G2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park October 8. That result followed a sixth in the G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes July 30, a respectable second behind Frosted in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park June 11 and a nice gate-to-wire win by an impressive 6 3/4 lengths in the G3 Westchester Stakes on that track May 7. Before that were consecutive fourths - the G1 Carter Handicap April 9 and the G2 Gulfstream Park Handicap in March. Outside of one bad effort lately Anchor Down has been very competitive - two wins and a second in his last four starts and is at his best around one turn racing one mile which he will be here. He tries for a second straight graded stakes win with Jose Ortiz in the saddle of the morning line favorite and 121 pound highweight from the rail.

Connect 5-2 - lightly raced colt has four wins and a third place finish in six career starts for trainer Chad Brown and faces elders for the first time. He made his graded stakes debut August 27 and finished sixth in the G1 Travers Stakes at Saratoga but followed that with a quality upset win last time out in the $1.25 million G2 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx September 24 - a race he earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure. He also had a good win in the minor Curlin Stakes at Saratoga July 29, an Allowance score at Belmont Park June 11 and a maiden score on that same track in May. Connect has won four of his last five starts overall and off a career-best effort could be a factor Saturday with Javier Castellano aboard the second betting choice from post 7.

Economic Model 6-1 - Chad Brown trained colt has eight career starts with three wins, three runner-ups and a third place finish. He enters off an OK third in the G3 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park October 29 which followed two respectable seconds - behind Fish Trappe Road in the G3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park July 9 and the G1 King's Bishop Stakes at Saratoga August 27. Before that was a two race win streak - the minor Easy Goer Stakes with a 101 Beyer Speed Figure June 11 and an Allowance Optional Claiming by four lengths May 4 - both at Belmont Park. Before that was an uncharacteristic ninth in the G2 Tampa Bay Derby in March and a respectable second in the G2 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park January 30. He arrives in decent form, has looked good in training ahead of this weekend and chases his first graded stakes score Saturday. Joel Rosario has the mount from gate 2.

Threefiveindia 6-1 - Chad Brown trained colt has six career starts with three wins, a second and a third place finish. He enters off a decent second in the G3 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park October 29 which followed a third in the G3 Gallant Bob at Parx September 24 and two Allowance Optional Claiming scores this past summer. He also had a seventh in the G1 Claiborne Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland in October, 2015. Threefiveindia has placed in four straight with a respectable 98, 97 and 97 Beyer Speed Figure in three races ahead of this weekend and will be after his first stakes score. Irad Ortiz is scheduled to ride from post 9.

Divining Rod 8-1 - has placed in 11 of 12 career starts for trainer Arnaud Delacour - four wins, two seconds and five third place finishes. 2015 results include a second in the G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes, a third in the G2 Tampa Bay Derby (both at Tampa Bay), a terrific win in the G3 Lexington Stakes here in April and three straight thirds including the Preakness Stakes, the minor Ohio Derby and the G2 Indiana Derby. He ended 2015 with a fifth in the G3 Smarty Jones Stakes in August before being sent to the sidelines for 13 months. Since his return to action Divining Rod has three starts and has looked good in all - two Allowance Optional Claiming scores at Parx with the last coming September 27 and a respectable second last time out in the G2 Haygard Fayette Stakes at Keeneland October 29. Divining Rod has been a factor in every race in his career so far and hopes to be again Saturday. Daniel Centeno rides from the outside gate 10.

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Ocean Knight 10-1 - Kiaran McLaughlin trained colt has placed in eight of nine career starts - three wins, three seconds and two third place finishes. He arrives off a decent third behind Anchor Down in the G2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park October 8 and two straight runner-up finishes in Allowance Optional Claiming races this past summer. He also won the G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay in January, 2016 in his second career start and had a third in the G3 Discovery Handicap on this track in November, 2015. Ocean Knight has been a factor every time out and will be shooting for his first G1 score Saturday. John Velazquez will be in the irons from post 5.

Tale of S'avall 20-1 - has two wins, a second and a third place finish in nine career starts for trainer Barclay Tagg. Last time out was one of those wins - an Allowance at Belmont Park October 10 after a seventh in the G1 King's Bishop Stakes at Saratoga August 27, an OK third in the G3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park July 9, a sixth in the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes June 11, a second in the minor Gold Fever Stakes in May, a sixth in the G1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in April and consecutive fifths in graded stakes action. He hasn't been great so far, particularly against graded stakes foes but hopes for a breakthrough Saturday. Manuel Franco is scheduled to ride from gate 6.

Realm 20-1 - Barclay Tagg trained gelding has two wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in his eight career starts and makes his stakes debut Saturday. Last time out was an impressive Allowance score by 5 1/4 lengths on this track November 5 after a second, a sixth and a fourth respectively in Allowance races this past summer. Realm has been just OK so far and hopes to make a huge statement in his enormous step up in competition. Paco Lopez gets the call from post 3.

Mylute 30-1 - has 32 career starts for trainer Ralph Nicks with five wins, five seconds and six third place finishes but has placed in just two of his last nine starts. He enters off three straight fourths ahead of this weekend - the G3 Bold Ruler Handicap last time out at Belmont Park October 29, the minor Challedon Stakes at Laurel Park October 1 and the minor Seattle Slew Stakes September 10. Before that was a third in the minor Alydar Stakes August 7, an Allowance Optional Claiming here in June, a respectable third in the G3 Westchester Stakes in May and a ninth in the G3 Commonwealth Stakes in April. Mylute searches for his first stakes score and enters in so-so form. Jockey Eric Cancel will try to change Mylute's fortunes around from gate 4 Saturday.

War Story 50-1 - has placed in his eight of 15 career starts - three wins, three seconds and two third place finishes and enters off an eighth in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Before that was an OK second in the minor Pa Derby Champion Stakes at Parx September 24, a seventh in the G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar August 20, his best result in some time - an Allowance score at Thistletown July 30 and consecutive eighths - the minor Tropical Park Derby in December and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. War Story has quietly placed in two of his last four starts but still has yet to produce a graded stakes score. Antonio Gallardo has been tabbed to ride from gate 8.

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2016 Cigar Mile Handicap Odds & Post Positions

Race 10 on Aqueduct's Saturday card with a Post Time of 4:20 PM.