Cigar (horse) facts for kids
Cigar (born April 18, 1990 – died October 7, 2014) was an amazing American Thoroughbred racehorse. He became famous in 1995 and 1996 for winning 16 races in a row! This was a huge achievement, as no other American racehorse had done this against top competitors since Citation way back in the 1940s and 1950s.
When Cigar retired, he had earned more money than any other racehorse in history. He was later honored by being added to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, which is like a special club for the best horses.
Cigar's Unique Name
Cigar got his name in a very interesting way. It wasn't because of tobacco! His owner, Allen Paulson, was a big name in aviation. He owned a company that made private jets. Because of this, he named many of his horses after special five-letter names used for airplane navigation points on maps. So, Cigar's name actually comes from the sky!
A Champion's Achievements
Cigar received many awards for his incredible racing career. He was even named the "Racehorse of the Decade" for the 1990s. In 2002, he was quickly added to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame as soon as he was eligible.
A famous magazine called Blood-Horse ranked Cigar as the 18th best U.S. Thoroughbred of the entire 20th Century. This means he was the highest-ranked American racehorse from the 1990s, earning him the title of "American Horse of the Decade." To celebrate his greatness, a life-size bronze statue of Cigar was put up at Florida's Gulfstream Park in 1997.
Life After Racing
After his amazing racing career ended in 1996, Cigar retired. He lived a peaceful life at the Kentucky Horse Park's Hall of Champions in Lexington. This is a special place where famous horses live out their retirement.
Around April 2014, Cigar started having health problems with his spine, which made it hard for him to walk. He had surgery, but sadly, he passed away on October 7, 2014, at the age of 24. Even though he is gone, Cigar is remembered as one of the greatest racehorses of all time.
