Sharp Azteca Breezes for Cigar Mile

Gelfenstein Farm's multiple graded stakes winner Sharp Azteca turned in a six-furlong breeze Nov. 25 at Gulfstream Park West, his final work ahead of the $750,000 Cigar Mile Handicap presented by NYRA Bets (G1) Dec. 2 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

New York-based jockey Javier Castellano flew to South Florida for the early-morning move, and guided the 4-year-old Freud  colt through six furlongs in 1:13. Immediately after the work Castellano caught a flight to California for riding engagements at Del Mar, but trainer Jorge Navarro said his conversation with the Hall of Fame rider yielded nothing but accolades for the Las Vegas Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) runner-up.

"He's not the type of guy that says much, but he sounded impressed with the horse," Navarro said. "We didn't have much time to talk right after, but he called me from the airport and he told me he really liked him. He's never been on him before, that was their first date, and he was very, very pleased with how the horse worked. We know each other from South Florida and we have a pretty good relationship, and it makes everything so much easier for me to hear that from a jockey like Javier Castellano."

In the Nov. 3 Dirt Mile at Del Mar, the speedy colt led under a pressured early pace but couldn't hold off a late charge from Battle of Midway . He finished a half-length behind the winner to record his third second-place finish in as many tries against grade 1 company. Sharp Azteca has finished in the money in all six starts this year, including wins in the Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2), the Monmouth Cup (G3), and a four-length victory in the Sept. 23 Kelso Handicap (G2) going a one-turn mile at Belmont Park.

"One turn, two turns—I don't think it matters for him. He's just a straight-up runner," Navarro said. "I think he's a horse that shows up to every dance. The only time he didn't show up was the second time I ran him and he was getting over a foot issue. Aside from that, I can't remember the last time he ran a bad race. I take my hat off to him for that."

Another Cigar Mile contender who exits a solid Breeders' Cup effort is Mind Your Biscuits, who is on target for the Cigar after a third-place finish in the Nov. 4 TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1). 



"He's done well. He came out of the Breeders' Cup great," said trainer Chad Summers. "I'm real proud of him. I don't know if maybe it's the weather with him. Last year he flourished in this kind of weather. The colder it is—it's like he gets relief from the summer. He's doing real well though, and I'm happy with how he's coming into the race."

The 4-year-old son of Posse will make his 19th start in the Cigar Mile, and will look to add another tally to his win column following victories in the Amsterdam Stakes (G2) and the Malibu Stakes (G1), as well as his biggest win to date, a three-length score in the March 25 Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Gulf News (G1) in Dubai. Saturday's race, his sixth start in a grade 1, shapes up as another tough field for the 2016 New York-bred Horse of the Year.

"This is as strong as a Cigar Mile as I can remember. From top to bottom there's a deep field in there," Summers said. "Everybody is coming in from all directions. It's great to see Dallas Stewart coming in (and) Mr. Fipke has a horse in there (Tale of S'avall). With that said I'm interested to see where the weights will be when they come out. My horse ran a mile once, so I hope they're kind to us."

Mind Your Biscuit's lone start at a mile came in a maiden special weight in November of 2015 at Aqueduct. He's had 14 races in between, racing exclusively from six to seven furlongs, but the added furlong doesn't bother Summers, who believes the mile is well within the chestnut's scope.

"I think he'll be fine," he said. "I always believed he can handle the distance. He's coming into it great."

Also on the worktab over the holiday weekend was Qatar Racing and Starlight Racing's Neolithic, who came out of his Nov. 24 breeze in good order as he readies for the Cigar.

Neolithic, who is coming off a second-place effort in the Oct. 28 Hagyard Fayette Stakes (G2) at Keeneland, was clocked in :48.81 on Belmont Park's training track, working in company with Vulcan's Forge.

"He worked good. We'll talk to the connections and see what they want to do and find out about jockey assignments," said trainer Todd Pletcher.

Vulcan's Forge, a 4-year-old Giant's Causeway  colt, is also a possibility for the Cigar Mile after he finished second in an optional-claiming allowance Nov. 12 at Aqueduct. Vulcan's Forge is owned by William and Corinne Heiligbrodt and Team Valor International.

Neolithic has finished in the money in his last three races since a layoff of more than four months following his third-place effort in the March 25 Dubai World Cup (G1).

G M B Racing's Cigar Mile contender Tom's Ready put in his final breeze for the race Friday as well, when he covered four furlongs in :49 1/5 at Churchill Downs.