Golden Gate: City Route beats males in Lost in the Fog

ALBANY, Calif. – Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer thought enough of 2-year-old filly City Route ($5.40) to try her against males in Saturday’s $50,300 Lost in the Fog Stakes at Golden Gate Fields.

His belief in the filly was validated. City Route broke on top and was never challenged in the Lost in the Fog, winning by 2 1/4 lengths. Sold Short was second, and favored Mighty Monsoon was another three-quarter lengths back in third.

"I thought she was a very nice filly, or I wouldn’t have run her against the boys," Hollendorfer said. "She showed good speed and finished off good, too."

City Route, who defeated fillies by 5 1/2 lengths in her debut, ran five furlongs in 57.75 seconds and improved to 2 for 2 with her second gate-to-wire victory.

Winning jockey Kevin Krigger said he wasn’t surprised to clear the field so easily. City Route had a two-length lead at the first call with a 21.95 opening quarter.

"I got to work her a couple times, and she’s pretty quick," Krigger said. "I was confident the whole way. I never really felt like she was going to get passed. She never felt like she was getting tired or slowing down."

Russell Baze rode Mighty Monsoon for trainer Jeff Bonde, who was seeking his third straight Lost in the Fog victory, after riding City Route in her debut.

"She was the best horse today," Baze said. "That’s all there is to it."

Hollendorfer, a co-breeder and co-owner of the Globalize filly, won the first Lost in the Fog in 2007 with Imaginary Sailor. City Route earned $30,300 and has earned $52,140 in two starts. Hollendorfer said she would probably next appear in the $100,000 CTBA Stakes at Del Mar on July 22.