by Mike Curry

Grade 1 winners Vineyard Haven and Pyro give owner Godolphin Racing a formidable duo for the Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) on Saturday at Aqueduct.

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor’s coupled entry was pegged as the 9-to-5 morning-line favorite for the one-turn mile, which drew a compact but talented field that also includes Metropolitan Handicap (G1) winner Bribon (Fr) and Vosburgh Stakes (G1) winner Kodiak Kowboy.

The Cigar Mile is one of four graded stakes on Saturday’s card at Aqueduct, which also includes the $300,000 Gazelle Stakes (G1) for three-year-old fillies, the $200,000 Remsen Stakes (G2) for two-year-olds, and the $200,000 Demoiselle Stakes (G2) for two-year-old fillies.

Vineyard Haven opened the year with a fourth-place finish in the Gulf News United Arab Emirates Two Thousand Guineas (UAE-G3), a performance that knocked him off the Triple Crown trail.

But since returning to the U.S., the Lido Palace (Chi) colt regained the form that led to victories as a juvenile in the Three Chimneys Hopeful (G1) and Champagne (G1) Stakes. He finished first but was disqualified and placed second for interference in the stretch of the seven-furlong NetJets King’s Bishop Stakes (G1) on August 29 at Saratoga Race Course and followed with a hard-fought half-length win in the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes (G1) on October 24 at Laurel Park.

Vineyard Haven has Grade 1 wins from on the lead and off the pace and his versatility should be an advantage in the Cigar Mile as he could get an ideal trip stalking Grade 1-placed stakes winner Driven by Success.

Pyro, who does his damage from well off the pace, will attempt to rebound from a tenth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) on November 7 at the Oak Tree at Santa Anita Park meeting.

After winning the Vosburgh, Kodiak Kowboy was pointed to the Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) by trainer Steve Asmussen because of an unsatisfactory endoscopic examination following a workout. The four-year-old Posse colt has three wins, two seconds, and one third from seven starts this season. Kodiak Kowboy also won the Carter Handicap (G1) in April at Aqueduct.

Champion Stardom Bound will make her return to racing in the 1 1/8-mile Gazelle. The 2008 champion two-year-old filly will make her first start since finishing third in the Ashland Stakes (G1) on April 4 at Keeneland Race Course.

The Tapit filly opened her season with wins in the Las Virgenes Stakes (G1) and Santa Anita Oaks (G1) after closing her two-year-old campaign with three straight Grade 1 wins. Stardom Bound will make her first start on a dirt track in the Gazelle, which also drew Test Stakes (G1) winner Flashing and stakes winner Unrivaled Belle, a winner of three consecutive races by open lengths.

Unbeaten Buddy’s Saint, a 12-length winner of the Nashua Stakes (G2), is the 4-to-5 morning-line favorite for the Remsen. Champagne Stakes (G1) winner Homeboykris is the 7-to-5 second choice on the morning line for the 1 1/8-mile race, which drew six contenders.

Maiden winner Protesting, a Phipps Stable homebred A.P. Indy filly, is the 2-to-1 morning-line favorite for the 1 1/8-mile Demoiselle. Protesting is a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner Parading and is out of Grade 3-placed winner On Parade, a full sister to champion Storm Flag Flying, by Storm Cat.

Mike Curry is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor

Demoiselle S.