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Performer Enters Cigar Mile Carrying Five-Race Win Streak

Performer has checked a lot of boxes while forging a five-race winning streak. Owned by Phipps Stable and Claiborne Farm, the 4-year-old son of Speightstown will face Grade 1 competition for the first time as part of a competitive nine-horse field in the $250,000 Cigar Mile Handicap for 3-year-olds and up on the main track at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 32nd running of the Cigar Mile, known as the NYRA Mile from 1988-96, was renamed in honor of the 1994 winner and 2002 Hall of Fame inductee. The prestigious race headlines a lucrative card which includes a pair of Grade 2, $150,000 nine-furlong events for juveniles in the Remsen and its filly counterpart, the Demoiselle, as well as the Grade 3, $100,000 Go for Wand Handicap for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at one mile on the main track. The Remsen and Demoiselle will offer 10-4-2-1 qualifying points to the top-four finishers towards the 2021 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, respectively.

Performer raced third in his debut as a juvenile in November 2018 at the Big A. That marked the last— and only— time he failed to earn a trip to the winner's circle, going 4-for-4 as a sophomore in 2019, including a victory in the Grade 3 Discovery going 1 1/8 miles last November at Aqueduct.

Off an 11-month layoff, Performer picked up where he left off, registering a 1 3/4-length win over optional claimers in a one-turn mile on Oct. 17 at Belmont Park. Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, who won this race in 1996 with Gold Fever, said his charge has continued to train well at Belmont since, recording six official workouts following his triumphant return.

“He's training well. It has been a while since he ran, but he'll be fit enough,” McGaughey said. “He's been over that track before. He seems to be doing as well now as he's ever done.”

Plans for a potential 5-year-old year have not been firmed up, but he'll look to close 2020 with aplomb. Jockey Joel Rosario, 5-for-5 aboard Performer, will look to stay undefeated on the Kentucky homebred, drawing the inside post.

“Everything being equal he'll run next year, but what I'll do with him after Saturday, I'm not sure yet. We'll have to wait and see,” McGaughey said.

Mr. Amore Stable's Firenze Fire was a good third last out in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland behind C Z Rocket and the winner Whitmore. In his last New York start, the Florida homebred won the Grade 2 Vosburgh Invitational over Big Sandy, posting his second triple digit Speed Figure of the year with a 101.

The Kelly Breen trainee has already won three graded stakes in his 5-year-old campaign, capturing the Grade 3 General George in February at Laurel Park along with the Grade 2 True North in June at Belmont.

Firenze Fire boasts a career record of 12-3-3 in 30 career start with field-high earnings of $2.21 million. Jose Lezcano will ride from post 4.

Trainer Jack Sisterson will send out a pair of Calumet Farm-owned Kentucky shippers who each have extensive experience at the Big A in True Timber and Bon Raison.

“They've shown us in the mornings that they both can run a competitive race,” Sisterson said.

True Timber will make his third Cigar Mile appearance after running second in 2018 and third a year ago. He has earned blacktype in three of the four starts since Sisterson took over the training duties from Kiaran McLaughlin, who retired to become a jockey agent.

In the summer meet, True Timber ran a strong third in the seven-furlong Grade 1 Forego on Aug. 29 at Saratoga Race Course, garnering a season-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure. After finishing fourth in the six-furlong Grade 2 Vosburgh Invitational on Sept. 26 at Belmont, he was stretched back out to seven furlongs for a runner-up effort in the Lafayette on Nov. 7 at Keeneland, where he continued to train heading into the Cigar Mile.

“He's been close to winning a race like this and is peaking at the right time,” Sisterson said. “He got stuck down at the rail running three-quarters at Belmont [in the Vosburgh]. He just wasn't happy. He's a horse who likes his own way and we learned that in the mornings. We let him put his feet where he wanted to and put him in a happy frame of mind and he moved forward extremely well.

“His coat looks good, his appetite is great and his energy level is high,” he added. “He's shown that he wants to do more.”

Kendrick Carmouche will be in the irons from post 8.

Bon Raison enters off a 10th-place effort in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 7 at Keeneland. Prior to that, the 5-year-old son of Raison d'Etat won his first race since Sisterson took over the training duties, topping a field of optional claimers going six furlongs on Oct. 16 at Keeneland.

The veteran workhorse is returning to a familiar spot at Aqueduct, where he is 3-0-2 in 13 career starts. In 2019, Bon Raison raced a whopping 21 times before scaling back the workload this year, as the Cigar Mile will be his ninth appearance of 2020.

“He's got a late running style and he just seems to be a versatile horse,” Sisterson said. “He's got talent and he's intelligent. He has those attributes where he can do what you ask him to do.”

Jorge Vargas, Jr. will be aboard from post 9.

King Guillermo will enter off a seven-month layoff since running second in a division of the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on May 2 at Oaklawn Park. Originally slated to run in September's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby, the Uncle Mo colt was scratched out of the 146th “Run for the Roses” with a fever.

Owned by Victoria's Ranch, headed by 16-year Major League Baseball veteran and five-time All-Star Victor Martinez, King Guillermo has been training at conditioner Juan Avila's base at Gulfstream Park, including a four-furlong blowout in 50.25 seconds on Friday before arriving in New York on Saturday.

King Guillermo broke his maiden at second asking in November at Gulfstream Park West and kicked off his 3-year-old year with a 4 ¾-length win in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby in March before facing his first Grade 1 challenge in the 1 1/8-mile Arkansas Derby, where he ran second to Nadal.

“He's good. He's ready,” Avila said. “He's getting ready to face that challenge. The mile will be good for him because he's had seven months without a race.”

Avila said he's excited for the opportunity to bring the $150,000 purchase at the 2019 Ocala Breeders' Sale to New York.

“I really like the opportunity and the chance to win and this gives us a chance for people to know me and know King Guillermo,” Avila said. “We have big expectations.”

Jose Ortiz will pick up the mount from post 6.

Mr. Buff, owned and bred by Chester and Mary Broman, will give the race a New York homebred who will look for additional glory at the Big A. Making his 41st career start overall, the John Kimmel trainee is returning to a track where he is 8-3-0 in 13 previous starts, including five stakes victories led by a 20-length score in the one-mile Haynesfield in February that matched a career-best 106 Beyer.

The Friend Or Foe gelding, who be wrapping up his 6-year-old year, won the Empire Classic against state-breds last out going 1 1/8 miles on Oct. 24 at Belmont.

Junior Alvarado, who won the 2013 Cigar Mile aboard Flat Out, will have the call from post 5.

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' multiple Grade 1-winner Mind Control will face graded stakes company for the first time since running eighth in the Grade 1 Forego over the summer.

A four-time winner at the Big A, the Gregg Sacco trainee won in his last appearance at Aqueduct after rallying to take the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap on March 7. Both of Mind Control's Grade 1 scores came at Saratoga in the 2018 Hopeful and last year's H. Allen Jerkens.

Hall of Famer John Velazquez, a two-time Cigar Mile winner, will seek his third in breaking from post 2.

Bloom Racing Stable's Snapper Sinclair will make his Aqueduct bow seeking his first win since the Tourist Mile in August 2019 at Kentucky Downs. Winless in his last 10 starts, the son of City Zip has still been competitive, finishing second or third in five of those efforts for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Snapper Sinclair will make his first start in New York since breaking his maiden in August 2017 over the Mellon turf at Saratoga. Two starts back, he posted a runner-up finish in the Tourist Mile in September before a last-out third against allowance company on Nov. 5 at Churchill. Manny Franco has the call from post 3.

R.A. Hill Stable's Majestic Dunhill will wheel back off a six-day turnaround, looking to atone for a seventh-place finish after a slow start in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap on Saturday at Aqueduct.

Previously, the 5-year-old son of Majesticperfection, trained by George Weaver, won the Grade 3 Bold Ruler on Oct. 31 at Belmont. Dylan Davis will be in the irons for the first time, drawing post 7.

The Cigar Mile is slated as the finale of the 10-race program, which offers a first post of 11:30 a.m. Eastern. The card will also feature a mandatory payout of the Empire 6.

Live coverage of Cigar Mile Day will be available with America's Day at the Races on FS2 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. and on MSG+ from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Free Equibase-provided past performances will be available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

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Undefeated Jaxon Traveler Headlines Maryland Juvenile Championship

West Point Thoroughbreds and Marvin Delfiner's undefeated 2-year-old colt Jaxon Traveler, an eye-catching winner of his first two starts, takes the next step in his progression when he makes his stakes debut in Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Futurity at Laurel Park.

The Futurity shares top billing on a nine-race program with the $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship, both for Maryland-bred/sired horses sprinting seven furlongs. Post time is 12:25 p.m.

Bred in Maryland by Dr. and Mrs. A. Leonard Pineau, Jaxon Traveler has dazzled in his two races to date, both in front-running fashion. He romped by 10 lengths in debut Sept. 25 at Pimlico Race Course over Lugamo, who came back to win his next two races and run third in the James F. Lewis III Stakes Nov. 14 at Laurel.

Jaxon Traveler was then pointed to the Maryland Million Nursery Oct. 24 but, not being Maryland-sired, he was excluded from the field. Instead, he ran in an entry-level optional claiming allowance for 2-year-olds the day before and was never threatened in a four-length triumph under a hand ride from Johan Rosado in 1:09.34 for six furlongs.

“He's showed that he can run a little bit, and we are impressed. He acts like a nice horse,” Delfiner said. “He's just doing everything right so far, so we just have to keep our fingers crossed that everything stays in good position.”

West Point purchased Jaxon Traveler for $140,000 out of the Ocala Breeders' spring sale that was delayed from April to June amid the coronavirus pandemic, bringing Delfiner on as a partner. The dark bay or brown son of multiple graded-stakes winning sprinter Munnings originally fetched $80,000 as a yearling last fall at Keeneland.

“I liked the way he worked. I liked his conformation, I liked the way he moved at the 2-year-old sale, so I decided to invest in him. But, as you know, you never know how they're going to turn out,” Delfiner said. “He's very, very smart and he did everything right coming out of the gate training. Since he broke out of the gate in the first race, he's acted like he's an older horse. He's a smart little colt.”

Delfiner's background in racing includes being co-breeder of 2013 Skip Away (G3) winner Cigar Street and co-owner of Theregoesjojo, second in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and third in the Florida Derby (G1) in 2009, and Afleet Tizzy, a Pennsylvania-bred stakes winner of more than $376,000 in purse earnings.

“We've had some nice horses, no complaints,” Delfiner said. “He's going to take us as far as he wants to go. So far, he's done everything we've asked and we'll just go to the next step.

“I've been around long enough to know that you can't count any chickens,” he added. “He just happens to be a really, really nice horse and we're excited about him.”

Several of Jaxon Traveler's rivals bring previous stakes experience into the Futurity including shippers Singlino and Latin Spice, respectively first and third in the First State Dash Sept. 26 at Delaware Park. Owned and trained by John Worsley, Singlino has run into trouble in each of two subsequent starts including a seventh in the James Lewis, while Latin Spice was third in an open second-level allowance Nov. 23 at Mountaineer. He is trained by co-owner Jason DaCosta.

Mopo Racing's Alwaysinahurry owns two wins and a second in three starts since being gelded this fall, the only loss coming to Dale Capuano-trained stablemate Kenny Had a Notion in the Maryland Million Nursery. Alwaysinahurry returned to post a gutsy neck triumph in an entry-level optional claiming allowance Nov. 7 at Laurel at the Futurity distance.

“Since we gelded him he's run very well,” Capuano said. “The seven-eighths he won at last time shouldn't be a problem this time. [Jason Traveler] is pretty tough. We'll see what he can do.”

The Futurity will be the eighth career start for Alwaysinahurry, making him the most experienced horse in the field. He has also proven to be adaptable in his races, winning from both on and off the pace.

“However the race comes up, he can go either way. I don't think that really matters to him. He's pretty versatile, so that makes a difference,” Capuano said. “He's already run seven times, so that's quite a bit. He's a got a lot more seasoning than some of the other ones. I think the more they run the better they should get, and it looks like he's doing that. Hopefully he'll improve a little bit more.”

Ain't Da Beer Cold, Doubleoseven and maiden Hunter Joe complete the field.

Stakes winners Miss Nondescript and Street Lute, separated by a neck in their only previous meeting, will hook up again leading a field of nine in Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Juvenile Filly Championship.

Barak Farm homebred Miss Nondescript circled the field with a four-wide move and came flying on the far outside with a steady run to catch Lucky 7 Stables' Street Lute on the wire in the six-furlong Maryland Million Lassie Oct. 24 at Laurel.

It was the first start for the Mosler filly since joining trainer Mike Trombetta's Laurel string following a nose maiden special weight triumph in debut Sept. 4 at Monmouth Park, a five-furlong sprint that was originally carded for the grass.

“It was a good race for her. She'd only had one race under our belt and she was new to our barn so I didn't know a whole hell of a lot about her. We'd only had her three or four weeks. I was very happy with how she showed up and performed,” Trombetta said.

“She's trained good since. She's done well and breezed good,” he added. “We breezed her the other day before the rain so we were able to get that in and, from what I can tell, she seems like she's ready to go.”

Miss Nondescript went a half-mile in 48.80 seconds Nov. 29 at Laurel, where she has prepped both before and since the race. Trombetta also has a string of horses at the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md.

“She's gotten to train at Laurel; she's been there the whole time now. She's gotten a race in over the track so hopefully she's ready for this,” Trombetta said. “She does everything right, and she does everything you ask of her. This will be a little bit of a test, I'm sure, but I think it's the next step and she should ready for it.”

Street Lute's narrow Maryland Million loss is the only thing keeping her from being undefeated. The daughter of Street Magician made her first two starts at Delaware Park, graduating at first asking and then rolling to a front-running five-length triumph in the 5 ½-furlong Small Wonder Sept. 26.

Back at Laurel, where she is based with trainer Jerry Robb, Street Lute tracked pacesetter Trip to Freedom in the Lassie and forged a short lead in deep stretch before being edged late. She returned with a dominant 2 ¾-length score in the six-furlong Smart Halo Nov. 14.

“She came out of the race fine, and she's doing real good,” Robb said. “The only time she got beat she was chasing the speed and then she got caught by somebody else after she caught the speed. It happened in the last jump. I don't think she even saw the horse coming, to be honest with you. This race is a little bit farther so hopefully that'll fit her a little better. I think she wants to go a little bit farther. All along I've thought she was a distance horse, so I'll be anxious to find that out.”

The Juvenile Filly Championship is the final stakes for Maryland-bred sired fillies this year. The last stakes for 2-year-old fillies on the Maryland calendar are the $100,000 Anne Arundel County going about 1 1/16 miles and $100,000 Gin Talking sprinting seven furlongs Dec. 26.

“You've really got to hit the Maryland-bred spots. They'll be few and far between after now, so she'll get plenty of time between them,” Robb said. “You have to try to train them to make sure you make these and then sit back and not worry about the next one for a while.”

Also entered are Juror Number Four, a two-time winner who ran fourth in the Small Wonder; Liam's Missy, a 10 ½-length maiden special weight winner Oct. 31 at Belmont Park for trainer Tim Hills; Maxine's Tap Room, a Keeneland maiden special weight winner Oct. 23 in her lone start; Trip to Freedom, maiden winners Buckey's Charm and Targe and the maiden Heartful.

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Ruled Off In Hong Kong, Multiple G1 Winner Pakistan Star Makes Dubai Debut Thursday

One of the world's most famous racehorses makes a somewhat surprising resurfacing on Thursday when Kerm Din's Pakistan Star contests Meydan Racecourse's 10-furlong The Entisar (Listed), the first in a series of local races pointing toward the 25th Dubai World Cup (G1) in March. A multiple G1 winner in Hong Kong before being ruled off the jurisdiction for various infractions, including refusing to race, he was transferred from trainer Tony Cruz to multiple UAE champion conditioner Doug Watson at the beginning of the year.

“We got him in January and we were going to try to point to a race at the beginning of April, but obviously with COVID(-19), that was nixed,” Watson recalled. “His coat really came on during the summer. Since he started back, he's been no problem and has done everything right at home. His work has been exceptional and it's hard to find anything to really go with him. He's a pretty good work horse and looks like he gets across the (dirt) surface really well. We're just going to have to see how he takes it and if he gets kickback. He's a bit quirky, sure, because he looks at everything, but he hasn't stopped in his training, which is great.”

The 7-year-old German-bred son of Shamardal has been working steadily toward his first engagement, which will be on the dirt—a surface he has trialed on in Hong Kong, but never raced upon. Most of said trials were at shorter distances than the 1 1/4 miles he will travel Thursday evening, but he was remarkably consistent, beating a pair of Hong Kong Cup winners—Time Warp and Glorious Forever—in those runs. Three weeks ago, he went to Meydan to get a taste of the surroundings with a seven-furlong trial from the gate and was accompanied by a pair of stablemates, including recent HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup winner Galvanize.

“We took him over to do a trial in front of the stewards and make sure he would do everything correctly, which he did,” Watson continued. “He broke great and worked with Galvanize and Dehbashi and basically pulled about seven lengths clear of Galvanize at the end of it, which is a pretty good gauge. He took a little kickback under Pat (Dobbs, jockey) and seemed to handle it alright. He trains right-handed at home, but he had no trouble turning left in the work. He didn't hang and Pat really was impressed with him.

“He came back (to Red Stables) and did his last two pieces of work—so I know he's fit enough,” he continued. “It's just a matter of if he wants to do it. We'll see on Thursday night. He moves really well across the dirt, so it will be good to get a race in him to see how he does on it, because turf races don't start until January here. If he really likes it, it does open other doors.”

From 27 starts, Pakistan Star has a 5-5-1 record. In addition to his long-winded G1 wins in the 10-furlong Queen Elizabeth II Cup and 12-furlong Champions & Chater Cup, he has shown ample speed, including a seven-furlong handicap win in which he ran the second-fastest final 400m (1/4 mile) in Hong Kong history (at the time), 21.44 seconds.

While he is not expected to show such foot early on Thursday, it would not be a surprise if stablemate Just a Penny took the initiative. Owned by Mohd Khalifa Al Basti, the 8-year-old nine-time winner has already raced twice this season, including a fifth over seven furlongs and an open-length win over nine furlongs—both at Jebel Ali Racecourse.

Watson said: “The first year we had him, we took him to Meydan and we didn't think he would get beat, but then he ran up the track. Since then, we've kept him mostly at Jebel Ali and he returned there (this season). He always needs that first race—we can't do enough with him at home—and then he won well in his second start. (The Entisar) is an opportunity to give him a start back at Meydan and see how he handles it now. He has plenty of pace, too.”

South American G1 winners Saltarin Dubai and For the Top, Listed winners Montsarrat and Zaman, and local handicap winners Firnas, Casey Jones and George Villiers complete the field. All carry 57kgs (126lbs) in what will be the fifth race of the card, slated for 8:50 p.m. local time (11:50 a.m. USA EST; 4:50 p.m. UK).

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Can Keepmeinmind Stay in the 2021 Kentucky Derby Picture?

Making the Grade, which will run through the 2021 Triple Crown races, focuses on the winners or top performers of the key races, usually from the previous weekend, who could make an impact on the Triple Crown. We’ll be taking a close look at impressive winners and evaluating their chances to win classic races based upon ability, running style, connections (owner, trainer, jockey), and pedigree.