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Americanrevolution Beats Following Sea To Wire In Cigar Mile

On a day that had its share of inquiries, Americanrevolution survived an inquiry to take the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y. Contact between the winner and Plainsman led to the inquiry, with stewards ultimately deciding to leave the order of finish intact, the son of Constitution victorious over his stablemate Following Sea.

At the break, Pipeline was the fastest out of the gate, but Following Sea, who finished third behind Aloha West in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Del Mar Nov. 6, took over the lead as they crossed onto the Aqueduct backstretch. Following Sea maintained his one-length lead until the stretch, when Ginobili made his bid for the lead, taking over briefly as they straightened out into the stretch.

Following Sea fought back, passing Ginobili inside the final eighth of a mile as Plainsman and American Revolution made contact briefly as they made their bids for the front in the stretch. Americanrevolution dug in and took over the lead inside the last sixteenth of a mile, finishing a half-length in front of Following Sea. Plainsman was third, with Olympiad fourth. The inquiry sign went up after the race as stewards looked into contact between Plainsman and Americanrevolution in the stretch, but the results were allowed to stand.

The final time for the one-mile G1 stakes was 1:36.68. Find this race's chart here.

Americanrevolution paid $7.50, $4.10, and $3.30. Following Sea paid $5.10 and $4.10. Plainsman paid $5.60.

“Luis [Saez] rode him terrifically. He kept him going in the turn when he was in traffic and things were getting tight. He responded to an energetic ride. He never gave up on him and I think that was important, especially backing up from the mile and an eighth. He never wanted to take his foot off the peddle. He kept coming and we knew he'd be fit backing up in distance,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the race.

“We weren't 100 percent positive about the mile, but a lot of times good horses do multiple things really well and I think he's a great example of that. Constitution puts so much determination into his offspring and they're just like he was – very tough horses and versatile. It's great to see him get that Grade 1 win.”

“When he came around the three-eighths he was a little bit off the bit. I had to start riding him to get the momentum and at the top of the stretch, when he switched leads, he gave me that kick. After that, I knew I could win the race but I wasn't sure because I still had Following Sea in front of me and he was battling but in the end, Americanrevolution made his move and he got there,” jockey Luis Saez told the NYRA Press Office after the race.

“I feel like Manny [Franco, aboard Plainsman] tried to come out and he was trying to push me away and wanted my spot, but I was in my lane and it looked like the horse inside came out a little bit too and that's what made it look like that.”

Bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding, Americanrevolution is out of the Super Saver mare Polly Freeze. He is owned by China Horse Club, Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, the son of Consitution was purchased by China Horse Club and Maverick Racing for $275,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Preferred New York Bred Yearling Sale. With his win in the G1 Cigar Mile, the 3-year-old colt has five wins in six starts in 2021 and career earnings of $944,535.

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Constitution Colt Closes Pick 3, Caps Exacta for Pletcher in Cigar Mile

In Todd we trust.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher completed a graded Pick 3, and an exacta, to close out the card in style at Aqueduct Saturday as the talented New York-bred Americanrevolution (Constitution) reeled in his stablemate and fellow 3-year-old and 'TDN Rising Star' Following Sea (Runhappy) in the GI Cigar Mile H. presented by NYRA Bets.

Coming off an 11 3/4-length drubbing in the Empire Classic H. going 1 1/8 miles around one turn against state-breds in the slop with a gaudy 108 Beyer Speed Figure at Belmont Oct. 30, the tepid 5-2 pick seemed to be spinning his wheels a bit while sitting in between horses in midpack as the rail-drawn Following Sea, a last out third with trouble in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, narrowly showed the way with GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile runner-up Ginobili (Munnings) in hot pursuit through fractions of :23.19 and :46.04.

Under a ride beneath Luis Saez entering the far turn, the CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm colorbearer and $275,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling popped out and got going three deep at the head of the lane, but brushed with Plainsman (Flatter) as that rival tried to force his way out of a spot inside the three-sixteenths. Americanrevolution kept on coming, however, and leveled off nicely with massive strides to forge past his stablemate by a half-length in the shadow of the wire. Plainsman was third. The stewards looked at the aforementioned stretch bumping but made no change.

“Luis [Saez] rode him terrifically,” Pletcher said. “He kept him going in the turn when he was in traffic and things were getting tight. He responded to an energetic ride. He never gave up on him and I think that was important, especially backing up from the mile and an eighth. He never wanted to take his foot off the peddle. He kept coming and we knew he'd be fit backing up in distance.

Pletcher continued, “We weren't 100% positive about the mile, but a lot of times good horses do multiple things really well and I think he's a great example of that. Constitution puts so much determination into his offspring and they're just like he was– very tough horses and versatile. It's great to see him get that Grade I win.”

Americanrevolution kicked off his 3-year-old season with three straight wins, including the New York Derby at Finger Lakes July 19 and Albany S. at Saratoga Aug. 27, all against fellow state-breds. He far from disgraced himself against open company with a solid third-place finish in Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow)'s GI Pennsylvania Derby Sept. 25 before his tour-de-force in the Empire Classic.

“He's a rare horse that when you look at his figures, he's improved every single start of his life,” Pletcher said. “That's great to see. It was a hard-earned win today, but he fought on.

Looking ahead, Pletcher added, “The way he ran the mile and an eighth [in the Albany and Empire Classic] would give you hopes he would be a Classic-type horse. I think the plan is to send him to WinStar now and give him a bit of a freshening.”

Pletcher, who also saddled Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) (GII Remsen S.) and Nest (Curlin) (GII Demoiselle S.) to wins in the previous two races on the undercard, pulled off the same graded stakes trio sweep in 2012 with Overanalyze, Unlimited Budget and Stay Thirsty, respectively.

Americanrevolution provided Pletcher with a fifth overall Cigar Mile tally after previously saddling Left Bank (2001), Lion Tamer (2004), Purge (2005), and Stay Thirsty (2012) to victories. It was also a second career Cigar Mile exacta for Pletcher, following a one-two finish by Left Bank and Graeme Hall in 2001.

“We felt good coming into today that we had some horses that were training the way you'd want them to be training leading up to a big race,” Pletcher said. “We were excited about the day coming in and it was one of those rare occasions where everything fell into place and everyone ran their race.”

Americanrevolution joins an impressive line-up of 3-year-olds–Forty Niner (1988), Dispersal (1989), Flying Chevron (1995), Gold Fever (1996), El Corredor (2000), Discreet Cat (2006), Daaher (2007), Tale of Ekati (2008), To Honor and Serve (2011), Connect (2016) and Maximum Security (2019)–to defeat their elders in the Cigar Mile, which was previously contested as the NYRA Mile.

Pedigree Notes:

Breeding a Grade I winner is the elusive grail, but Fred W. Hertrich lll and John D. Fielding have reached the pinnacle together two weekends in a row as, in addition to Americanrevolution, last Saturday's GI Hollywood Derby victor Beyond Brilliant (Twirling Candy) was also a product of their program, along with Robert L. Tribbett. The 3-year-olds were foaled just three days apart in their 2018 crop, albeit Americanrevolution in New York and Beyond Brilliant in Kentucky. Both were eventually sold with Americanrevolution fetching $275,000 as a Fasig-Tipton New York yearling from China Horse Club and Maverick Racing.

Hertrich had bought Polly Freeze as a maiden winner at the 2016 Keeneland November sale while she was carrying her first foal, a filly by Wicked Strong. The Super Saver mare also has a placed 2-year-old colt named Bold Journey (Hard Spun), a yearling filly by Collected, and was bred back to Frosted. She is one of three of Super Saver's daughters who have produced a black-type winner. The 14-year-old stallion formerly stood at WinStar but relocated to Turkey for the 2020 season. The Pletcher-trained Constitution, who leads the third-crop sire list, has remained at WinStar. In addition to Americanrevolution, the nine other graded winners among Constitution's 17 stakes winners have included MGISW and fellow New York-bred Tiz the Law.

Saturday, Aqueduct
CIGAR MILE H. PRESENTED BY NYRA BETS-GI, $750,000, Aqueduct, 12-4, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:36.68, ft.
1–AMERICANREVOLUTION, 117, c, 3, by Constitution
1st Dam: Polly Freeze, by Super Saver
2nd Dam: Elusive Gold, by Strike the Gold
3rd Dam: Save My Soul, by I'ma Hell Raiser
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($275,000 Ylg '19 SARAUG). O-CHC Inc & WinStar Farm LLC; B-Fred W Hertrich III & John D Fielding (NY); T-Todd A Pletcher; J-Luis Saez. $412,500. Lifetime Record: 7-5-0-1, $944,535. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A.
2–Following Sea, 119, c, 3, Runhappy–Quick Flip, by Speightstown. 'TDN Rising Star' O/B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Todd A Pletcher. $150,000.
3–Plainsman, 119, h, 6, Flatter–S S Pinafore, by Street Sense.
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($350,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Shortleaf Stable Inc; B-Joseph Minor (KY); T-Brad H Cox. $90,000.
Margins: HF, 2HF, 1HF. Odds: 2.75, 3.50, 19.10.
Also Ran: Olympiad, Code of Honor, Ginobili, Independence Hall, Pipeline. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Pletcher Prepares Following Sea, Americanrevolution 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 this morning at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., in preparation for next Saturday's $750,000 Grade 1 Cigar Mile presented by NYRA Bets at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

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

Owned by Spendthrift Farm, Following Sea rounded out the trifecta behind Aloha West and Dr. Schivel in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint on November 6 at Del Mar. The son of second-crop sire Runhappy entered the Sprint from a solid score against older company in the G2 Vosburgh on October 9 at Belmont Park.

Americanrevolution, a CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm owned Constitution colt, enters the Cigar Mile off an 11 ¾-length romp against fellow Empire State-breds in the Empire Classic on October 30 at Belmont, where he produced a 108 Beyer Speed Figure.

“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 NYRA circuit for the calendar year.

Pletcher also worked a handful of juveniles slated for stakes action next week with Mo Donegal and Overstep breezing a half-mile in company over the Belmont training track in :49.77. Both horses are pointing towards the $250,000 G2 Remsen – a nine-furlong test for juvenile colts which offers 10-4-2-1 points towards the 2022 Kentucky Derby.

Mo Donegal, a Donegal Racing owned son of Uncle Mo, stretched out from six furlongs to 1 1/16 miles to break his maiden at second asking on October 21 at Belmont. Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's New York-bred Overstep, a bay son of Into Mischief bred by Chester and Mary Broman, was a close second in the state-bred Sleepy Hollow on October 30 over a sloppy and sealed Belmont main track.

Pletcher previously captured the Remsen with Bluegrass Cat [2005] and Overanalyze [2012], both of whom contested in the following year's Kentucky Derby.

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Michael House's Nest registered a half-mile work in :49.79 in preparation for the $250,000 G2 Demoiselle, a nine-furlong test for juvenile fillies which offers 10-4-2-1 points toward the 2022 Kentucky Oaks.

Pletcher is a six-time winning trainer of the Demoiselle, including with subsequent Oaks victresses Ashado [2003] and Malathaat [2020].

On Friday, Pletcher saddled Repole Stable's Never Surprised to a flashy victory in the $150,000 Gio Ponti, which saw the Constitution bay garner a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure with Kendrick Carmouche in the irons. Never worse than second in a half dozen career starts, Never Surprised was previously second to Public Sector at graded stakes level in the G3 Saranac at Saratoga and the G2 Hill Prince at Belmont. Last year, he captured both his starts over the Aqueduct turf, including a wire-to-wire win over stakes-winner Hard Love in the Central Park.

Pletcher said the $100,000 Tropical Park Derby on December 26 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., remains in play.

“That's a possibility. We'll see,” Pletcher said.

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Life Was Good, Very Good

There is talk that Breeders' Cup winners Knicks Go (Paynter) and Life Is Good (Into Mischief) will meet in the Jan. 29 GI Pegasus S. at Gulfstream. I'll take Life Is Good. He was that good Saturday in the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile.

Nothing against Knicks Go or any of the other winners over the weekend at Del Mar, but the best horse over the 14 races that make up the Breeders' Cup was Life Is Good. He put in a sensational performance in the Dirt Mile in an effort that suggested that, if he stays healthy, he is on the verge of becoming one of the brightest stars this sport has seen in a while. I can't wait for his 4-year-old year.

It's not that he snuck up on anyone. In March, he won the GII San Felipe S. at Santa Anita by eight lengths over Medina Spirit (Protonico) and was so dominant that it was easy to see him winning the GI Kentucky Derby. Maybe even the Triple Crown. Then his luck turned. He suffered a slight injury to a hind leg and had to have ankle surgery to remove a chip. The Triple Crown races were out.

Things got even more complicated when his trainer, Bob Baffert, got into hot water. The owners, WinStar Farm and the China Horse Club, pulled him out of the Baffert barn and sent him to Todd Pletcher in New York.

The result was that they had to hit the reset button. He was ready to go again, but the plan was to bring Life Is Good along slowly and start off sprinting. He ran a huge race in defeat when second behind star sprinter Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) in the GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial and then beat a couple of tomato cans in the GII Kelso H.

Still not ready for a mile-and-a-quarter, Life Is Good went into the Dirt Mile instead of the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. On paper, he was easily the best horse, but he still had to prove it.

It turned into one of those races where it wasn't that he won, it was how he won. Unlike in the Classic, where no one went after Knicks Go early, Life Is Good never got a breather. Chased by the Baffert-trained Eight Rings (Empire Maker) and the Japanese entrant, Jasper Prince (Violence), Life Is Good sizzled through an opening quarter-mile in :21.88. They kept applying the pressure through a half-mile in :44.94 and six furlongs in 1:08.76. On the same day where pace pressure did in favorites Gamine (Into Mischief), Jackie's Warrior and Letruska (Super Saver), Life Is Good had every right to give up after being pushed so hard so early. Instead, he put it in another gear and drew off to win by 5 3/4 lengths. The final time for the mile was 1:34.12, good for a Beyer figure109. (Knicks Go got a 112).

“It was just an amazing race,” said WinStar President and CEO Elliott Walden. “I feel like he was one of the better horses I've ever been around. Because his season had gotten broken up, he hadn't been able to put races together back to back to back. Yesterday, to see him put it all together like that was just amazing.”

“I was a little worried,” Walden said of the fast early pace. “I was worried when Ginobili (Munnings) made a little move to him at the two-and-a-half. I knew that Ginobli loved Del Mar and he is a good horse in very good form. But then he didn't get to him and when Life Is Good spurted away I felt very good about it.”

Perhaps the only knock on Life Is Good is that he's never gone beyond a mile-and-a-sixteenth, but there's nothing to suggest that nine, and even 10, furlongs will be beyond his reach.

Walden confirmed that the Pegasus is next on Life Is Good's schedule and added that the G1 Saudi Cup is a possibility. That could be the start of a very good 4-year-old year.

In the meantime, it's tempting to look back at what might have been. This horse obviously has the talent it takes to win a Kentucky Derby. After all, he beat Medina Spirit twice, in the GIII Sham S. before thrashing him in the San Felipe. Since then, Medina Spirit won the Derby and the GI Awesome Again S. and finished second in the Classic.

Nonetheless, Walden would rather look ahead than in the rear view mirror.

“Yes, I think he is the best 3-year-old in the country and I think he showed that yesterday,” he said. “It's unfortunate that he couldn't show that in the Derby and some of the other big races we're always trying to win. But, at the same time, you take what the horse gives you. And you have to be grateful for that. He's such an athlete that we're just lucky to have him. I always felt like if you take care of the horse they will take care of you.”

Considering that he is a 3-year-old Grade I winner with a stellar pedigree, it's a relief that WinStar and the China Horse Club are going to bring Life Is Good back next year. Then again, why retire a horse when it seems like his career is just getting started? After a terrific win in the Breeders' Cup, the best is surely yet to come.

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