Cigar Rules Eclipse Awards

The Cigar crew picked up five Eclipse Awards, including horse-of-the-year honors, and then trainer Bill Mott and jockey Jerry Bailey quickly left in ownerbreeder Allen Paulson’s jet for Florida, where their horse runs today in the $300,000 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

Cigar was a near-unanimous pick as horse of the year, receiving 304 of 306 votes in balloting by the Thoroughbred Racing Association, the National Turf Writers Association and the Daily Racing Form.

All the awards but horse of the year had been announced last month. Cigar, who won all 10 of his races in 1995, was also voted best older male horse. Mott won an Eclipse for best trainer, Bailey was voted best jockey and Paulson top owner.