City of Light (foaled May 7, 2014) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2018 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and 2019 Pegasus World Cup in his final two starts. He also won the 2017 Malibu Stakes and 2018 Triple Bend Stakes and Oaklawn Handicap.
Background
City of Light was bred in Kentucky by Ann Marie Farm. He was sired by Quality Road, whose wins included the 2010 Metropolitan Handicap. Quality Road since had developed into one of America's leading younger sires, with offspring including champions Caledonia Road and Abel Tasman. City of Light was the final foal out of Paris Notion, an unraced daughter of Dehere.
City of Light was sold at the 2015 Keeneland Yearling Sales for $710,000 to William and Suzanne Warren, who had earlier owned Horse of the Year Saint Liam. He was trained by Michael McCarthy, who started his own stable in 2014 after working as an assistant trainer to Todd Pletcher.
Racing career
2017: three-year-old season
City of Light made his first start on July 7, 2017, in a maiden special weight race at Los Alamitos Racecourse, finishing second. Two months later, he recorded his first victory in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Del Mar, winning by lengths. He then finished second in two allowance races at Santa Anita and Del Mar.
Despite having only one win from four starts, McCarthy decided to step City of Light up in class for the Grade I Malibu Stakes, held on December 26 at Santa Anita. In the seven-furlong sprint, he broke poorly from the inside post but was then urged to the lead. He held off several challenges around the far turn before drawing away to win by two lengths.
2018: four-year-old season
City of Light made five starts at age four, with three wins, a second-place finish and a third. He was the only horse in 2018 to beat that year's champion older horse, Accelerate, when the two faced off in the Oaklawn Handicap.
On March 10, 2018, City of Light made his first start as a four-year-old in the Triple Bend Stakes, a seven furlong sprint at Santa Anita. He stalked the early pace set by Bobby Abu Dhabi, then moved to the outside as he started his move at the head of the stretch. The two horses dueled before City of Light pulled away in the final strides to win by lengths.
City of Light made his next start on April 14 at Oaklawn Park in the Oaklawn Handicap, stretching out to a distance of miles. His main rival was Accelerate, who had won the Santa Anita Handicap over a distance of miles on the same day that City of Light won the Triple Bend. Breaking from the outside post in a field of eleven, City of Light settled into fourth place behind the early pace set by Untrapped, just a few lengths behind Accelerate. Accelerate started his move around the far turn, followed by City of Light. The two horses hit the lead at the top of the stretch and soon distanced the rest of the field. City of Light opened a half length lead in mid stretch but Accelerate fought back. At the finish line, City of Light prevailed by a neck with Untrapped 10 lengths behind in third.
"(Jockey) Drayden (Van Dyke) was able to dictate his trip," said McCarthy. "He was loaded at the half-mile pole. At the time I was nervous, because you worry if they are going to show up after the running starts, but when they got to the quarter pole and Drayden hadn't moved his hands, I had the utmost confidence in my horse."
On May 26, City of Light stepped up to the American classic distance of miles in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita. He battled with Dr. Dorr for the early lead, closing to within a head around the final turn. However, neither of these two could match the late drive by Accelerate, who won convincingly by lengths over Dr. Dorr with City of Light in third.
McCarthy then chose to cut back in distance by entering City of Light in the Forego Stakes at Saratoga on August 25. Breaking poorly from the outside post position, City of Light settled in mid pack while being carried extremely wide around the turn. He made a strong move down the stretch to finish second, but never seriously challenged the winner, Whitmore.
"He broke real hard and kind of went down half a step and then gathered himself up," said McCarthy. "I think had we drawn inside, it might have been a lot different... He cut the corner and put in a run, but the other horse had already gotten away from him. He put in a super effort. I can't be upset with that."