Cigar was the best horse in the last 30 years

[Port Conway Lane]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

If that's correct, that means Princess Rooney ran a 121 Beyer for winning the Breeders Cup Distaff in '84 (by 7 lengths over Life's Magic). As her race, at the same ten furlong distance, went a full second faster than the Classic.

FWIW, Life's Magic won the '85 BC Distaff by 6 1/4 lengths over Lady's Secret. Lady's Secret won the '86 BC Distaff and the coveted title Horse of the Year.

Interesting that the 2nd place finisher of the first two BC Distaffs came back to win the following year.

It's hard to believe that Princess Rooney actually holds the record for fastest Beyer figure in BC Distaff history, and not Inside Information (who ran a 119)

Princess Rooney went 6-for-6 at age two - after an 18 length ALW win at Calder, she made her stakes debut ten days later and won by 12 lengths. From there, she shipped to Belmont and ran in a 13 horse field in the Grade 1 Frizette, which she won by 8 lengths. The 3rd place finisher, Weekend Surprise, was the dam of both Preakness winner Summer Squall and Belmont winner A. P. Indy.

She made her final start of her 2yo season in the Grade 2 Gardenia Stakes, which she won by 11 lengths. The 2nd place finisher in that race had won a Grade 1 stake in her prior start.

Princess Rooney was a Grade 1 winning filly with a perfect 6-for-6 record, winning her six races by a combined 56 lengths, for a 9.33 length average margin of victory. However, she lost champion 2yo filly honors to the deceased Landaluce, who went 5-for-5, also with a single Gr 1 win. She won her five races by a combined 46.5 lengths, for a 9.30 average margin of victory.

I wonder how close the vote was that year?

I don't know but it makes me wonder who the best filly/mare is since 1980.