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Artist commissioned to sculpt legendary horse

Expected to be finished in time for Breeders’ Cup

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 2, 2015) — The Kentucky Horse Park has commissioned artist Douwe “Dow” Blumberg to sculpt a depiction of Thoroughbred champion Cigar, who died on Oct. 7, 2014, at age 24. The statue will be placed at Cigar’s gravesite at the Hall of Champions.

Cigar1990-2014.KyHorsePark.HallofChampionsBlumberg is a Kentucky artist and former professional horse trainer. The bronze sculpture will be a depiction of Cigar’s 1995 Breeders’ Cup victory and will include a likeness of jockey Jerry Bailey. The statue is expected to be completed by October, with a tentative ceremony planned to honor Cigar during the week leading up to the Breeders’ Cup, which is being held in Lexington from Oct. 30-31.

In May 1999, Cigar came to the park to live out his retirement at the Hall of Champions. At retirement, Cigar had a total of 19 wins out of 33 starts with earnings of $9,999,815, a record at that time. He was voted Champion Older Male and Horse of the Year in both 1995 and 1996. In August 2002 he was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

Cigar died following complications from surgery for severe osteoarthritis in his neck. He was buried near fellow racing champions on the Memorial Walk of Champions.