City Man cruises to victory in Danger's Hour Stakes

City Man parlayed an absolute dream trip under jockey Joel Rosario into an easy 2 1/4-length victory over the late-running Sanctuary City in Saturday’s $100,000 Danger’s Hour Stakes at Aqueduct. Value Proposition, the 6-5 favorite, finished a tiring third in a field of seven older horses.

City Man, one of five New York-breds in the Danger’s Hour, was reserved in perfect striking position off the early pace surprisingly set by Value Proposition and prompted by the speedy Rinaldi. City Man saved ground for six furlongs, eased out, and found ample room to launch his bid leaving the turn. He overtook the leader with a rush upon settling into the stretch, quickly drew off, and was taken in hand after Rosario peaked behind him a couple hundred yards from the wire and found no challenger.

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Sanctuary City completed the New York-bred exacta, rallying between horses in early stretch while never seriously threatening the winner. Value Proposition weakened steadily through the final furlong. He was followed, in order, by Therapist, It’s a Gamble, Price Talk and the weary Rinaldi.

City Man, a son of Mucho Macho Man trained by Christophe Clement, was making his first start since finishing second against open allowance company over the Aqueduct turf four months earlier. The victory was his fifth in 19 career starts and pushed his career earnings to more than $540,000.

City Man, who is owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Peter and Patty Searles, negotiated the distance over a “good” course in 1:37.58 and paid $7.80.

“That’s what good horses do,” Clement said. “He came back well from Florida where he had a little break. He shipped up here in good shape and everything worked out well. He’s always been a good horse. He’s been at the stakes level since he was a 2-year-old.”

Rosario, reunited with City Man for the first time since finishing third on him in the A. T. Cole for New York-breds last fall at Belmont, said: “The setup with the pace was good for him the way the race unfolded, and he did a good job. I look forward to the next one.”