Cigar Mile Win Positions Bishops Bay for Saudi Cup
Elle
Dec 18th 2025
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Bishops Bay was a final burst of energy kind of guy in the Cigar Mile on Saturday, which made his people very confident as they think of a brave international schedule and also of him as a potential Saudi Cup contender, the $20 million race that attracts the best horses all over the world. Brad Cox, the trainer, said that the late dash of Bishops Bay was a showcase of both endurance and smarts, which are traits that can make him very successful on the world stage, and although the choice of running in the Saudi Cup has not been made, the win is a strong argument for him. The next day also had the emergence of promising juveniles on both coasts, thus heralding the 2026 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks early, the weekend turning out to be a combination of late-season triumphs and next-generation glimpses.
The Cigar Mile is frequently a venue where horses bring their last bursts of energy to the audience in the late part of the season before taking a break in the winter. A powerful outcome is what this year’s version of the event brought out as Bishops Bay, a horse already familiar with his gradual advancement, took off in the last furlong to defeat a veteran bunch. After his late drive, the local officials were very impressed with the jockeys abroad and hence they have been informed that the ownership group is considering running at the Saudi Cup, which has a prize of twenty million dollars, early next year.
After the competition, the trainer Brad Cox could not stop praising Bishops Bay’s grit till the last moment, and he also said that it was a trial of both patience and stamina. The child relaxed in the middle of the pack and then moved out to the side for a better view of the track, and when he turned out straight for the last time, he took fewer strides and it was clear from the last hundred meters that he was going to win.
It was also talked about as the next stop for the win to be the trip abroad, possibly the Saudi Cup, but there has not been any formal announcement yet.
Usually, the Saudi Cup draws a strong worldwide lineup, and American-based horses have been somewhat of a coin flip in the last several years. Cox admitted that the journey would not only be a challenge in terms of logistics but also competitiveness, however, the money and the worldwide spotlight make it a pretty obvious choice. Bishops Bay is already a graded stakes veteran, and his people think that he is coming to the point where he can battle the best.
While Bishops Bay’s spectacular win overshadowed most of the attention that the Cigar Mile received, the juveniles in California and Florida races gave the first indications of 2026 classics. Hillcrest Avenue, a two-year-old colt at Santa Anita, had an impressive first race in a one-mile Saudi Cup event. The colt showed maturity as he followed the controlled pace from behind, then going outside and gradually distancing himself to win by a good margin.
It was also Bishops Bay’s victory that held onto the Saudi Cup on the radar, as his bright late-season performance is what makes him a possible $20 million international event next.
Observers see his calm temperament during pre race activity, a trait that often helps youngsters adapt as they climb the ranks.
On the East Coast, the juvenile spotlight fell on a filly named Meridian Lily, who produced a sharp stretch run in a stakes event at Gulfstream Park. While the Kentucky Oaks trail often sees early turnover, Meridian Lily’s win positioned her among the more promising fillies heading into the winter prep season. She made her move smoothly, went along with the leaders, and brought her finish up in a very controlled manner, which shows that she has received good training and is acquiring power.
While that is the case, we cannot get over the overwhelming victory of Bishops Bay in the Cigar Mile, which is still being talked about and puzzled over, especially with the Saudi Cup being looked at as a potential global destination.
Pletcher followers her consistent work pattern and ability to handle changes in pace without losing focus. As plans take shape for the prep season, Bishops Bay’s team is likewise weighing opportunities, including a possible start in the Saudi Cup, highlighting how top horses are being positioned for both domestic and global events.
Throughout the nation, Saturday’s events served as a reminder to the racing followers that although the existing season is nearing its end, the preparations for the big three-year-old races are going on all the time. Some prospects become visibly bright almost overnight whereas others take their time to grow, and the beginning of winter is quite often an indication of which horses will be able to reach their goals that are set far ahead. As the Bishops Bay’s performance is hitting the peak at the most suitable time and the Saudi Cup being an extremely attractive international option, the people involved in the horse are definitely deciding the time and the plan most carefully in order to be able both to show the best performance and to get the maximum exposure on the global stage.
Bishops Bay’s Cigar Mile win also highlights the evolving approach among top stables. Domestic targets such as the Pegasus World Cup, Whitney, and Met Mile remain significant, yet international races continue to attract interest and reshape schedules. A successful trip abroad can raise a horse’s profile and broaden breeding value after retirement. For a young horse such as Bishops Bay, whose bloodline is attractive to the market, a convincing showing internationally could be a nice side effect.
Racing analysts says that the Cigar Mile field, though not the deepest in recent memory, offered a quality test. Several rivals had posted solid figures during the year, and the early fractions created a pace scenario that required discipline. Bishops Bay’s ability to track, wait, and produce a strong finish suggested he may be reaching a new level of maturity.
The coming weeks will bring updates on his travel plans, but for now, his win stands as one of the key late season achievements in the older horse division. At the same time, Hillcrest Avenue and Meridian Lily provided early hints of what the next generation may bring. With the road to the 2026 Derby and Oaks stretching ahead, the weekend offered a useful snapshot of rising talent and upcoming storylines that will shape the months to follow.
