Betting With, and Against, Phileas Fogg in the Cigar Mile Handicap

An excellent and well-matched field of seven will go the one-turn mile at Aqueduct in Saturday’s important $500,000 Cigar Mile H. (G2). Suburban S. (G2) hero #6 Phileas Fogg (9-5) has been installed as the deserving morning-line choice for the tilt for trainer Gustavo Rodriguez. 

Phileas Fogg – With

• $6 superfecta key 6 with 1,4,7 ($36)

Phileas Fogg – Against

• $3 superfecta key 7 with 1,4,6 ($18)
• $1 trifecta 1,4,7 with 1,4,6,7 with 1,4,6,7 ($18)

The son of Astern was claimed in July of 2024 and moved to the dirt thereafter, and the gelding hasn’t left the surface since. He has had a very good 2025 with a handful of top-two finishes from six outings, with three coming at the graded level, including a close second in the Woodward S. (G2) in his latest venture. The bay sports a 5-2-3-0 mark on the oval and drilled a bullet four panels on Monday in preparation for the event, which will see the five-year-old being equipped with blinkers. Joel Rosario has the assignment. 

Godolphin homebred #7 Bishops Bay (2-1) is a logical alternative to the favorite for conditioner Brad Cox. The Uncle Mo five-year-old is two-for-two over the course; he is three-for-three at the distance, and the bay has a nose for the wire, evidenced by his 8-for-12 lifetime mark, too. He bagged the Forty Niner S. (G3) under similar conditions on the oval in his latest appearance and has posted two maintenance drills in the interim. Flavien Prat will have the talented win threat forwardly placed from the break. 

Carter S. (G2) victor #4 Crazy Mason (7-2) is a one-run closer with a robust turn of foot who can’t be ignored in a field with ample pace signed on. The gray son of Coal Front loves Aqueduct, and a one-turn mile might be right in his wheelhouse for Greg Sacco. Irad Ortiz picks up the ride atop the smart colt. 

#1 Doc Sullivan (5-1) is a New York-bred facing open company in the competitive contest, but the four-year-old fits well despite the class rise. The John Ortiz charge romped home in a stakes tilt on the surface last time out and held up well in a pair of graded tries in the Empire State earlier this season, too. The Solomini four-year-old will stalk the pace from the fence beneath Ricardo Santana, Jr.