Secret Circle, Itsmyluckyday in Cigar Mile

A solid field will line up Nov. 29 for the $500,000 Cigar Mile (gr. I) at Aqueduct Racetrack, as grade I winners Secret Circle and Itsmyluckyday   face off amongst a cast that includes Private Zone, Vyjack, and Bourbon Courage.

The Cigar Mile anchors a Saturday card in New York that includes the $400,000 Remsen Stakes (gr. II) for juveniles and the $400,000 Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II) for juvenile fillies, as well as the $400,000 Comely Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-old fillies.

Nine will contest the one-turn mile, with California shipper Secret Circle leading the group from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Though he has yet to win in 2014 for owners Karl Watson, Mike Pegram, and Paul Weitman, the 5-year-old son of Eddington   has not been off the board in three starts and comes off a runner-up finish by half a length in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I), a race he won in 2013.

Secret Circle, who drew post 6 under jockey Joel Rosario, stretches out beyond six furlongs for the first time since he finished second as a 3-year-old in the 2012 Arkansas Derby (gr. I).

Private Zone, trained by Alfredo Velazquez for Good Friends Stable, was runner-up to multiple grade I winner Flat Out   in the 2013 edition of the Cigar Mile. He also ships in from California and comes off a third in the Breeders' Cup Sprint, 1 1/4 lengths behind Secret Circle—a race he used as a springboard to this event last year.

In the 2013 Cigar Mile, the 5-year-old Macho Uno   runner set a solid pace at odds of 32-1 and was overtaken in the final sixteenth of a mile by Flat Out to finish second by 1 1/4 lengths.

Martin Pedroza gets the mount on Private Zone from the rail. Private Zone and Secret Circle share highweight assignment of 122 pounds with Itsmyluckyday.

Trained by Eddie Plesa Jr., Itsmyluckyday was rested after running third in the Sept. 27 Kelso Handicap (gr. II) won by fellow Cigar Mile contender Vyjack. The 4-year-old Lawyer Ron colt has not been off the board in seven starts in 2014 since rehabbing from a pelvic fracture. He won three races in a row before finishing second in the Whitney (gr. I) en route to a victory in the Woodward (gr. I) this summer at Saratoga Race Course.

In what could be his final start for Triology Stable and Laurie Plesa (he is to stand at Spendthrift in 2015), Itsmyluckyday drew post 2 and will have regular rider Paco Lopez in the irons.

Bourbon Courage, the fourth-place finisher from the Breeders' Cup Sprint, is an intriguing contender still in search of his first grade I victory. The Lion Heart 5-year-old made up tremendous ground in the Sprint, closing 10 lengths and finishing beaten just two for trainer Kellyn Gorder and Bourbon Lane Stable.

Another of interest is Godolphin's Transparent, a 4-year-old son of Bernardini   who set the track record for 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park Sept. 18 in his last outing.

Vyjack, trained by Rudy Rodriguez for Pick Six Racing, completes the field along with Regally Ready, Big Business, and Noble Moon.