Few sports fans ever have the privilege of watching a world-class trainer cultivate a champion athlete—and even fewer fans have the opportunity to witness the development of an elite animal athlete. The transformation of Cigar from a horse that showed modest turf ability to one that developed into a legend on dirt illustrates how critical a trainer’s role can be in our sport. 

The transformation of Cigar from a horse that showed modest turf ability to one that developed into a legend on dirt illustrates how critical a trainer’s role can be.

Guy Torsilieri, the chairman of the Far Hills race meet in New Jersey, remembers the first time he saw McDynamo in person. The then-4-year-old gelding had just picked up his first steeplechase victory, taking a maiden special weight race by 4 ½ lengths at Far Hills on Oct. 20, 2001. Torsilieri was impressed.