Flat Out Proves Best in the Cigar Mile

 

The seven year-old Flat Out defeated one of the strongest fields ever assembled in the Cigar Mile. The win was the ninth of his career and pushed his earnings to well over $3.5 million.

 

Flat Out now as won two graded stakes at a flat mile distance to go with his two wins in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at a mile and a quarter. Owner Art Preston said it best, “It’s amazing that he has this kind of speed along with the stamina.”

 

In its history the Cigar Mile has never been won by a Breeders’ winner and so that trend continued this year when Groupie Doll finished fourth and Goldencents came in seventh.

 

Jockey Rajiv Maragh was not happy with the trip he had on Groupie Doll, "The No. 3 horse [Clearly Now] clipped heels and stumbled right in front of me and almost unseated the jockey at the quarter pole. Before that we were in perfect position and running really good. I had to alter my course and by the time I got her running again it cost us a lot."

 

Trainer Doug O’ Neill was disappointed with performance of Goldencents, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, “We've got to try to dissect [Goldencents' performance]. [Jockey Rafael Bejarano] said [Saratoga Snacks] kind of stumbled and almost came over in front of Goldencents. After that, he thought he had him in a good spot, but just didn't kick on like we had hoped. No real excuse, just trying to figure it all out.”

 

As a grade one winner Flat Out ran for a $750,000 purse, which included the extra $250,000 incentive offered by NYRA. Flat Out had run eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Trainer Bill Mott was happy to bring him right back in the Cigar Mile. Mott said, “He didn’t run his top race in the Breeders’ Cup, but he came out of it in good order. We felt he’d probably be well suited for this race. This came up a very tough race.  What they did with the bonuses putting it on here. You’ve got with the Breeders’ Cup winners and the Grade one winners in here. It turned out to be quite a year-end event.”

 

During the race Flat Out settled in mid-pack as Private Zone set some speedy fractions [22.59, 45.39, 1:09.79] on a track that produced some rather slow times in the other stakes. As they turned for home Flat Out was sitting behind Verrazano, who eventually finished third, waiting for the chance to make his move. When asked Flat Out accelerated to win by 1¼ lengths, paying $15.00 to win. Private Zone held on gamely to finish second.