How to bet the Cigar Mile Handicap

An excellent field of nine will go a one-turn mile in Saturday’s $250,000 Cigar Mile H. (G1) as the headliner of a massive day of racing at Aqueduct. The Cigar Mile is carded as the 10TH race with a post time of 4:13 p.m. (ET).

Cigar Mile Analysis

The pace will be established by #5 Mr. Buff. #6 King Guillermo will likely track from second, with #1 Performer, #4 Firenze Fire, and #8 True Timber in close attendance to the turn for home.

Cigar Mile Contenders

#1 PERFORMER -- Classy Speightstown colt rolls in on a five-race win streak for McGaughey. Kentucky-bred 4-year-old is among the most talented runners in training, and he seems poised to add a Grade 1 win to his resume in his second run of 2020. Regular rider Rosario has the assignment.

#2 MIND CONTROL -- Grade 1 victor sports a fine 5-4-1-0 mark on the surface and will look to reverse his poor current form for Sacco. The top-three threat was unlucky stuck behind a fallen horse at Keeneland most recently, and his value could be better on Saturday because of it. John Velazquez rides.

#3 SNAPPER SINCLAIR -- Asmussen pupil goes turf-to-dirt as a longshot in the Cigar Mile. Millionaire son of City Zip is 0-for-8 this season, and he picked a tough spot for a first seasonal tally beneath Manny Franco.

#4 FIRENZE FIRE -- Ultra-talented son of Poseidon’s Warrior makes his first run since finishing a closing third in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) for Breen. Florida-bred 5-year-old is a dual winner on the oval and is among the top draws in the field on his best day. Jose Lezcano will be in the stirrups atop the prime win player.

#5 MR. BUFF -- Fleet Empire State-bred led throughout in a facile Empire Classic S. victory in his latest venture. John Kimmel trainee is an eight-time winner on the strip in his lifetime, and he will be the clear early leader at a fair price on Saturday. Junior Alvarado will be on board.

#6 KING GUILLERMO -- Grade 2 hero will face elders off the layoff for Avila. Uncle Mo colt is unraced since his fine tally in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2), but he is training well and will be forwardly placed from the break on Saturday as well. Jose Ortiz inherits the mount.

#7 MAJESTIC DUNHILL -- Majesticperfection 5-year-old broke through with a graded win in the Bold Ruler (G3) two back for Weaver. The deep closer could be in a tough spot in a field without a lot of early pace, however.

#8 TRUE TIMBER -- First of two from the Sisterson shedrow was last seen finishing a strong second in the Lafayette S. at Keeneland. Hard-trying son of Mineshaft is winless since 2018, but he has placed in the past two runnings of this race. Second here in 2018, he was third last year behind a pair of standouts, and he could surely make the frame this season with a similar effort. Kendrick Carmouche will guide the stalker.

#9 BON RAISON -- Dark bay Kentucky-bred owns a trio of wins on the surface, but he has yet to prove capable of winning a race at this level at this stage of his development. Jorge Vargas has the call atop the 5-year-old Sisterson pupil.

Cigar Mile Wager

• $60 Win: #1 Performer ($60)