Big City Lights noses Hopkins in Palos Verdes Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – The people closest to Big City Lights thought the odds-on favorite might be in trouble turning for home in the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.

No worries, it turns out.

Although he needed the length of the stretch to get there, Big City Lights ($2.80) wore down front-runner Hopkins to win the six-furlong stakes by a nose in 1:09.91. Jockey Flavien Prat was unsure if he would get up. Trainer Richard Mandella had the same thought.

“Turning for home, I thought (Hopkins) was gone,” Prat said. “I was hoping he would stop a bit at the end, which is what happened.”

Hopkins, who won the Palos Verdes a year ago, entered the stretch with a 1 1/2-length lead while Big City Lights appeared to be under a ride. Most watching the Palos Verdes thought the favorite was in deep water.

“I did too, yeah,” Mandella said. “I thought he’d be close (to the lead). He left there kind of relaxed.”

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At the wire, it was Big City Lights by a nose over Hopkins. See Through It finished four lengths back in third, followed by Mystification and The Big Wam. Only five ran.

The win by Big City Lights, a Cal-bred by Mr. Big, was his third stakes, and first graded win. The victory also kept a streak intact for the 5-year-old, who is owned by William Peeples. Big City Lights has never finished behind a horse other than The Chosen Vron. Big City Lights has raced nine times, with five wins and four runner-up finishes behind The Chosen Vron.

Prat said Big City Lights “broke just okay, he was pretty quiet before the race.” That explains why he did not keep pace early with Hopkins, who set fractions of 22.75 and 45.09, and looked like he might win the Palos Verdes for a second straight year. Hopkins did not switch leads in the stretch, which ultimately may have been the difference.

The victory by Big City Lights was the first Palos Verdes win for Mandella since 1985, when Laffit Pincay Jr. rode Phone Trick to victory in 1:08.

Mandella will keep his options open regarding the next start for Big City Lights. “You’ve got the San Carlos here, I’m not sure. I’m going to shop. I’m going to live this one up,” Mandella said. The seven-furlong San Carlos is on March 16.

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