CIGAR had his final pre-race work at Saratoga yesterday before flying to California for his record bid in Saturday's Grade One Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
The Bill Mott trained champion equalled Citation's modern American record of 16 consecutive wins when he landed the Arlington Citation Challenge last month, and victory in California would assure the remarkable horse a place in the history books.
Cigar, undefeated since October, 1994, will be facing Richard Mandella's trio Soul Of The Matter who gave him a fright in the Dubai World Cup Hollywood Gold Cup winner Siphon and Dare And Go.
Bobby Frankel, also undaunted by Cigar's reputation, will run the one time John Gosden trained Tinners Way, winner of the last two renewals of the Pacific Classic.
Reminded that if Cigar is beaten, the winning trainer would automatically be cast in the role of the villain, Frankel replied "I can handle that."
Also scheduled to have a crack at Cigar in the final leg of the MGM Grand Classic Crown is Luthier Fever, second in the Santa Anita Handicap and last in the Hollywood Gold Cup.
The son of Mr Livermore is a winner whatever happens, as he is the only runner eligible for the $500,000 MGM participation bonus.
Dramatic Gold, third in this race in 1994 and three and half lengths second to Cigar at Arlington last time, is a possible runner.
But Helmsman is a definite absentee due to a pulled back muscle.
. Jimmy Quinn will partner Connemara when the two year old filly bids to emulate Lyric Fantasy in York's Nunthorpe Stakes.
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