City of Light

Last year's champion 2-year-old colt and 'TDN Rising Star' Fierceness (City of Light), a very disappointing 15th as the favorite in the GI Kentucky Derby last out, showed up in a big way Saturday, defeating favored 'Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) by a length in a fantastic renewal of the GII Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga. It was another 5 3/4 lengths back to Batten Down (Tapit) in third. Drawn widest of all in post six, the 9-5 second-choice exited the stalls running beneath John Velazquez and was perfectly...

3rd-DMR, $75K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 6:04 p.m. ET. The Three Amigos--Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman--send out yet another first timer trained by Bob Baffert in EMERALD BAY (Nyquist). Last year's top-priced yearling colt for his sire was taken home by the trio for $700,000 during Keeneland September. The juvenile is out of G. Watts Humphrey homebred and GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes heroine Romantic Vision (Lemon Drop Kid), who foaled a colt by City of Light Mar. 29. TJCIS PPS

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Pressure? What pressure. There was none of that over at trainer Kenny McPeek's barn at the Oklahoma Annex Friday morning. Even though the stable star--the imposing, impressive and almost undefeated 3-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna)--is running on Saturday, no one on McPeek's staff was sweating bullets. Thorpedo Anna is the 1-2 morning-line favorite in the $500,000 GI Coaching Club American Oaks at 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga Race Course. She has won five of six career starts and has won all three of her races...

5th-Ellis, $69,299, Msw, 7-6, 2yo, f, 5 1/2f, 1:04.93, ft, 3 1/4 lengths. RICH CITY GIRL (f, 2, City of Light--Hassler {Ire}, by War Front), a $195,000 KEESEP yearling turned $435,000 OBSMAR breezer, was working bullets at Hawthorne for Larry Rivelli ahead of her debut and ran them off their feet for a sharp score as the slight 2-1 favorite. Scratched out of Friday evening's Prairie Gold Lassie Stakes at Prairie Meadows in favor of this spot, Rich City Girl was on the engine from her inside draw and was...

7th-Belmont The Big A, $90,000, Msw, 6-15, 2yo, 5f, :56.97, ft, nose. MENTEE (c, 2, City of Light--Nonna Bella, by Stay Thirsty), on the 'Insights' radar by virtue of his relationship to full brother, champion juvenile Fierceness, MGISW, $1,703,850, stepped up to lead the field in this unveiling. The 1-2 favorite cruised along through :22.37 and :44.80 opening splits and had built a noteworthy margin entering the final furlong. Under confident handling, his rider John Velazquez never seemed worried as Colloquial (Vekoma) rapidly closed the gap with a furious late...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - So far, a colt named Mindframe (Constitution) has been nothing short of mind blowing. Two starts. Two wins. By a combined margin of 21 1/4 lengths. His connections think so much of him that start No. 3 will be the GI Belmont S. Saturday at Saratoga. Trainer Todd Pletcher and co-owner Mike Repole are confident the lightly raced horse will make a credible showing in the 1 1/4-mile Belmont. Despite having little experience, Mindframe was made the 7-2 second choice by New York Racing Association linemaker...

1st-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 6-7, 3yo/up, 7f, 1:22.56, ft, 1 3/4 lengths. ILLUMINARE (c, 3, City of Light--I Still Miss You {MSW, $276,737}, by Majestic Warrior) jumped as the 9-2 third choice and flashed early speed up front before yielding the lead to 27-1 shot Call Bob (Central Banker). Poised right off that rival's flank up the backstretch, the $500,000 Keeneland September grad made his move off the turn, striking the front at the furlong marker and holding a steady advantage to the line to finish 1 3/4 lengths ahead of...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Kyoto and Tokyo Racecourses: Saturday, May 25, 2024 2nd-KYO, ¥10,480,000 ($67k), Maiden, 3yo, 1800m IZANAGI (c, 3, City of Light--Miss Squeal, by Smart Strike) cost $625,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September sale and was the latest of his dam's produce...

Fierceness (City of Light), the beaten favorite in the GI Kentucky Derby, is scheduled to make his next start in the GI Belmont S. on June 8 in Saratoga. "He has settled in well and we are pointing to the Belmont," trainer Todd Pletcher said in a text. Sent off at 3-1, Fierceness finished 15th, beaten 24 1/2 lengths in the Derby. When asked if his colt had any excuses in the Derby, Pletcher replied: "Perhaps too close to a fast pace? Stuck a little wide on both turns?" Following...

Champion 2-year-old Colt, 'TDN Rising Star' and GI Curlin Florida Derby hero Fierceness (City of Light) returned to action Friday with his first work following his 13 1/2-length romp in last month's Florida Derby. The Repole Stables-owned runner went four furlongs in :50.17 (13/22) under regular pilot John Velazquez with trainer Todd Pletcher looking on. "He's been great since the Florida Derby. His energy level is good. He's seemed to take the race really well," said Pletcher. "He had a nice easy breeze this morning and was moving great. Really,...

When Fierceness (City of Light) put on a show in the GI Florida Derby there didn't seem to be any question over who the favorite would be in the GI Kentucky Derby. The Mike Repole-homebred put on quite a show that day, winning by a record 13 1/2 lengths while earning a 110 Beyer figure, the fastest dirt number recorded by any horse this year. He gave the impression that if he could duplicate that race in the Kentucky Derby, there wouldn't be a horse on the planet that could...

It very quickly became clear that the stallions launched in 2019 included an above-average proportion equipped to last the course. And the start being made by their second crop of sophomores has only reiterated that impression. Thanks to the contentious prohibition of his ban by a gaming corporation, GI Arkansas Derby winner Muth is ineligible to give Good Magic a second GI Kentucky Derby from two attempts. (Though the Hill 'n' Dale sire might yet manage that with the same mare who gave him the first one, with Mage's brother...