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New York-bred Brooklyn Strong scored an upset win in Saturday’s $150,000, Grade 2 Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct to jump on the road to the 2021 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.

There are some stakes that have names which do not seem to fit. Like a seven-furlong sprint stakes being named after trainer Woody Stephens, who won the 1 ½-mile Belmont Stakes five years in a row. Yet the Cigar Mile Handicap fits like a glove since the mighty Cigar won the race back in 1994 when it was known by its original name of the NYRA Mile.

The TVG Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance may have decided who will be crowned the champion of the 2-year-old division, yet a race like the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes can also have an impact on next year’s Triple Crown trail.

The $250,000 Cigar Mile Handicap at Aqueduct typically is the last race of the season with the status to make an impact on the Eclipse Awards for older males or 3-year-olds, whether that be the champion older male, sprint, or 3-year-old division.

Making the Grade, which will run through the 2021 Triple Crown races, focuses on the winners or top performers of the key races, usually from the previous weekend, who could make an impact on the Triple Crown. We’ll be taking a close look at impressive winners and evaluating their chances to win classic races based upon ability, running style, connections (owner, trainer, jockey), and pedigree.

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