Following Sea, Americanrevolution Prep for Cigar Mile

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher worked graded stakes winner Following Sea  and multiple New York-bred stakes winner Americanrevolution  in company Nov. 27 at Belmont Park in preparation for the $750,000 Cigar Mile Handicap Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) Dec. 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

Both horses completed their half-mile moves over the dirt training track rated fast in :49.21. 

Spendthrift Farm homebred Following Sea rounded out the trifecta behind Aloha West  and Dr. Schivel  in the Nov. 6 Qatar Racing Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Del Mar. The son of second-crop sire Runhappy   entered the Sprint from a solid score against older company in the Oct. 9 Vosburgh Stakes (G2) at Belmont. 

Americanrevolution, a China Horse Club- and WinStar Farm-owned Constitution   colt, enters the Cigar Mile off an 11 3/4-length romp against fellow Empire State-breds in the Oct. 30 Empire Classic Stakes at Belmont. The sophomore was a $275,000 purchase from Taylor Made Sales' Agency's consignment to the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale.

"They both went well," said Pletcher, a four-time winner of the Cigar Mile. "It was a good breeze for them both with a solid gallop out. They both seem to be happy and healthy, knock on wood."

Since 2000, seven 3-year-olds have bested elders in the Cigar Mile, which is the final grade 1 event on the New York Racing Association circuit for the year.

On the West Coast Friday, graded stakes winner Ginobili  breezed five-eighths in :59 3/5 at San Luis Rey Training Center in preparation for next Saturday's Cigar Mile.

Trained and co-owned by Richard Baltas with Slam Dunk Racing, Jerry McClanahan, and Michael Nentwig, Ginobili is named for Manu Ginobili, a retired basketball player who starred for the San Antonio Spurs. 

"It was an excellent work," Baltas said Friday evening. "He galloped out in 1:12 and 1 and out in 1:26 and did it in a gallop. I was really happy with the way he worked. He was more relaxed than usual."

The 4-year-old Munnings   gelding, a $35,000 purchase from Hinkle Farms at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, graduated at second asking sprinting six furlongs in August 2019 at Del Mar ahead of fourth-place finish in the Runhappy Del Mar Futurity (G1).

That effort was followed by a difficult run of form with Ginobili hitting the board just twice in his next six starts to conclude his sophomore season in October 2020.

Ginobili was given a lengthy layoff and returned in May to finish off-the-board in a turf sprint and fourth in a main-track sprint in June at Santa Anita Park. But the addition of blinkers and a stretch out in distance in July saw Ginobili end a nine-race losing streak with a two-turn score in a one-mile allowance optional claimer at Del Mar.

Ginobili followed that effort by besting multiple graded stakes winner C Z Rocket  in the seven-furlong Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) in August at Del Mar, a "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). Ginobili performed admirably in the Dirt Mile, completing the exacta behind Life Is Good , another Pletcher-trained China Horse Club and WinStar runner. 

Baltas said that Ginobili, who was gelded in June 2020, benefited from a number of changes.

"I turned him out and we did a minor surgery (ankle chip) on him and gave him some time and brought him back as much sounder horse as a 4-year-old," Baltas said. "The blinkers were a big deal and the stretch out—it's been a combination of things. We're excited that he's done what he's done this year and we're hoping that will continue."

Baltas said Ginobili was slated to ship to New York Saturday.