2017 Cigar Mile Handicap Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G1 Cigar Mile Handicap comes our way this Saturday, December 2 from Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, New York. Horses three years old and upward will be featured when they take to Aqueduct's dirt track and race one mile for the winner's share of the very nice $750,000 purse.

A strong field of 10 will line up in the Cigar Mile - race 10 on Aqueduct stacked Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:16 PM. Here is a brief look into the past performances of all 10 entries for this competitive G1 stakes.

2017 Cigar Mile Handicap Entries at Aqueduct

Sharp Azteca

Consistent Jorge Navarro trained colt has seven wins, five seconds and a third-place finish in 15 career starts. He won the G3 Pat Day Mile Stakes at Churchill Downs last May and has been good in 10 starts since - a second last time out in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile November 3 followed a four-length win in the G2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont Park September 23, a 7 1/4 length win with a 109 BRIS Speed rating in the G3 Monmouth Cup July 30, a respectable second with a 106 Beyer Speed Rating in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap June 10, a third in the G2 Godolphin Mile at Meydan March 25 and a nice win in the G2 Gulfstream Park Handicap February 11. Before that was a second in the G1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita December 26, a win in the minor City of Laurel Stakes November 19 and a second in the minor Super Derby Prelude Stakes at Louisiana Downs August 6, 2016. Sharp Azteca has been as competitive as they come lately, has looked good in training ahead of this weekend and will be after a third graded stakes score in four starts (first G1 win) with Javier Castellano in the irons of the 125-pound highweight from gate 6.

Practical Joke

Chad Brown trained colt has 11 career starts with five wins, two seconds and two third-place finishes. He won the 2016 G1 Hopeful Stakes by a game neck at Saratoga, posted victory in the 2016 G1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park last October 8 and has been good since. Last time out was an OK fourth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile November 3 which followed a nice 1 1/4 length win in the G1 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Saratoga August 26, an OK third in the G1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park July 30 and a good two lengths win in the G3 Dwyer Stakes at Belmont Park July 8. Before that was a quality fifth in the Kentucky Derby, a respectable second in the G2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland April 8, a decent second in the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park March 4 and a third in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Practical Joke has been good in his career so far, is undefeated around one turn and shoots for a second G1 score in three starts from gate 8. Joel Rosario has the mount in Practical Joke's last career start.

Mind Your Biscuits

Chad Summers trained colt has placed in 15 of 18 career starts - six wins, six seconds and three third-place finishes. He enters off a decent third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint November 4 after a disappointing sixth in the G1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga August 26 and a nice two-race wins streak - the G2 Belmont Sprint Championship by 3 1/2 lengths July 8 and by three lengths in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan in March. Before that was an OK second in the G3 Gulfstream Park Sprint in February, a win in the G1 Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita December 26, a respectable second after closing from last at 15-1 odds behind Drefong in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Sprint November 5 and a second in the G3 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx last September 24. Other good results include a two-race win streak - the G2 Amsterdam Stakes July 30, 2016 (his graded stakes debut) and an Allowance race at Belmont Park July 3. Mind Your Biscuits had been a factor in every career start except for one but hopes to snap a two-race losing streak Saturday from the rail with Irad Ortiz aboard.

Tom's Ready

Dallas Stewart trained colt has just five wins in 20 career starts to go along with four runner-ups and three third-place finishes. He enters off one of his wins however - by three-quarters of a length in the G3 Bold Ruler Handicap in upset fashion at Belmont Park October 28. That result followed consecutive thirds - the G2 Kelso Handicap September 23 and the G1 Forego Stakes at Saratoga August 26 and another one of his wins - the minor Leemat Stakes at Presque Isle Downs July 9. Before that was a seventh in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park June 10, an OK third in the G2 Churchill Downs Stakes May 6 and a fifth in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. He also had a win in the G3 Ack Ack Handicap at Churchill Downs last October and another win in the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park June 11, 2016. Tom's Ready has been a tad up and down in his career but has placed in four straight ahead of this weekend. He tries to build on a career-best effort with Mike Smith in the reins from gate 4.

Americanize

Simon Callaghan trained gelding has placed in eight of nine career starts - three wins and five second-place finishes. He steps into graded stakes company for the first time Saturday on the heels of a two- race win streak - his stakes debut last time out in the minor Damascus Stakes at Del Mar November 3 and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita October 7. He posted three straight runner-up finishes before that in a trio of Allowance Optional Claiming races in California. Americanize has been trending upward for sure and looks ready for his step up Saturday. Rafael Bejarano has the mount from post 5.

Beasley

Mark Hennig trained colt has placed in six of his seven career starts - three wins, two seconds and a third-place finish. He enters off an OK third in the G3 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park October 28 which followed a two-race win streak - both Allowance races with the last coming on this track September 30. Before that was a fifth in his only other graded stakes result to date - the G2 Tampa Bay Derby March 11 and consecutive seconds in Allowance Optional Claiming races at Gulfstream Park to start 2017. Beasley arrives in decent form and will chase a first stakes score. Junior Alvarado rides from the outside gate 10.

Seymourdini

Has placed in eight of 10 career starts for trainer Linda Rice. He arrives off a slightly disappointing fourth in the G3 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park October 28 after a three-race Allowance Optional Claiming win streak by a combined 36 1/2 lengths - the last coming at Belmont Park July 3 and the others at Laurel Park in the spring. Before that was a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Parx in December and a seventh in his only other graded stakes action to date - the G2 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont in June, 2016. Seymourdini had been untouchable this year before last time out and searches for a strong bounceback with Jose Ortiz guiding him from gate 2.

Summer Revolution

Has three wins and a second-place finish in his seven career starts for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. He arrives off an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Belmont Park October 26 which followed 10 months away from the track, a sixth in the listed Gravesend Stakes here and a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track last November 4. His only two graded stakes starts came before that - a ninth in the G2 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx last September followed a fourth in the G1 King's Bishop Stakes at Saratoga in August, 2016. Summer Revolution has yet to place in his three graded stakes tries and will be out for a major breakthrough Saturday with Manuel Franco guiding him from post 9.

Just Call Kenny

Patrick McBurney trainee has five wins, six seconds and eight third-place finishes in his 32 career starts. He has been at his best in 2017 - a third last time out in the minor Richard W. Small Stakes at Laurel Park November 11 followed a fourth in an Allowance at Parx October 16, a second in the minor Pa Derby Champions Stakes on that track September 23, a good win in the G3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes as Monmouth Park October 26, a third in the G3 Monmouth Cup July 30 and a second in the G3 Salvator Mile June 17 - the last three at Monmouth Park. Just Call Kenny placed in just two of his six previous graded stakes tries. He has been competitive the last six months and will be after a second graded stakes score from post 3. Forest Boyce rides.

Vulcan's Forge

Has three wins, a second and four third-place finishes in 13 career starts for trainer Todd Pletcher. He enters off a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track November 11 which followed a third in a similar race at Belmont Park October 12 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track September 15. Before that was a sixth in an Allowance at Saratoga August 5, a ninth in his only graded stakes action to date - the G3 Discovery Stakes here last November and an Allowance score at Belmont in September, 2016. Vulcan's Forge has been just OK so far and will try of a career-best effort from post 7 Saturday. Luis Saez gets the call.

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