Exotic Plays for the 2023 Cigar Mile Handicap

An excellent and full field of 12 will vie in Saturday’s lucrative Cigar Mile H. (G2) at Aqueduct. The race is loaded with numerous talented runners that are deep-closing types, and I will tab the contenders that will be forwardly placed from the opening bell in the well-matched cast. 

Cigar Mile Exotics

• $5 exacta box 2,10,11 ($30)
• $.50-cent trifecta 2,10,11 with 2,10,11 with all ($30)
• $.10 superfecta 2 with 10,11 with all with all ($18)

The Brad Cox-trained #2 Everso Mischievous is a high-quality grinder who isn’t flashy, but the son of Into Mischief has found his way to the winners’ circle in four of his six career performances, with a pair of runner-up results also to his credit. Purchased for just $85,000, the son of top sire Into Mischief ran well in posting a half-length tally in the Forty Niner S. (G2) on the oval in his latest effort, and improvement is more than possible in this spot as he makes a third run off the short layoff. 

Everso Mischievous is a perfect fit at the one-turn mile voyage, and the sophomore colt is already proven against his elders, as well. The Kentucky-bred has excellent gate presence and will be in the top-three from the early stages of the heat with Christian Torres retaining the mount. 

Dallas Stewart’s #11 Hoist the Gold exits four consecutive sprint races and has a lot of appeal stretching out in trip while staying at one turn in the finale. The four-year-old son of Mineshaft was a smart winner of the Phoenix S. (G3) at Keeneland two races prior, and he comes in with a pair of rapid four-furlong drills in anticipation of Saturday, as well. This Kentucky-bred colt has the Brisnet Early Pace figures to suggest that he will be forcing the pace from the start. And since the contender has run some big ones at seven-eighths, I envision that he will be within his scope at this distance with John Velazquez taking the reins. 

#10 Accretive, one of three in the field for Chad Brown, has run very well in each of his quartet of assignments in 2023 and wouldn’t be a surprise in this spot. This Practical Joke four-year-old comes off fine tries in both the Vosburgh S. (G2) and Forty Niner (G2) as of late, and he possesses enough early speed to be in range throughout the contest with Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the stirrups. 

I have a lot of respect for the accomplished late runners in the field, but I will take a stand against them in a race that could surely provide a moderate early tempo.