Independence Hall looks to close career in Cigar Mile

While still basking in the glow of Aloha West’s nose victory in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar, owner Aron Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners said Sunday that Independence Hall will likely make his next start in the Grade 1, $750,000 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Dec. 4.

The other option is the $750,000 Clark Handicap on Nov. 26 at Churchill Downs, but Wellman said he and the other owners, Twin Creeks Racing and WinStar Farm, are leaning toward the Cigar Mile for Independence Hall, recent winner of the Fayette Stakes at Keeneland.

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It was at Aqueduct in 2019 where Independence Hall had his coming-out part, winning the Grade 3 Nashua Stakes by 12 1/4 lengths for then-trainer Mike Trombetta. He followed that up with a four-length win in the Jerome on New Year’s Day 2020. Both of those races were run at a one-turn mile.

“That’s a quirky surface and he’s shown an affinity for that surface,” Wellman said Sunday at Del Mar. “There’s a huge amount of prestige that goes with the Cigar Mile. WinStar has thrown their support behind him and the Cigar Mile could take him to another level as far as his stallion career is concerned.”

Independence Hall will stand stud at WinStar in 2022. The Cigar Mile is expected to be his final race.