Lovesick Blues, Big City Lights headed in different directions
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Lovesick Blues and Big City Lights, California-bred stakes winners who could have given Man O Rose a battle in The Chosen Vron Stakes last Saturday at Del Mar had they not run in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, are being pointed to their next starts. Lovesick Blues and Big City Lights finished sixth and eighth, respectively, in the BC Sprint on Nov. 1.
The two will head different directions. Lovesick Blues will target the $2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint on Feb. 14 in Saudi Arabia; Big City Lights will be nominated to the $100,000 Stormy Liberal, a five-furlong turf sprint on Nov. 30 at Del Mar.
Lovesick Blues “pulled up out of the [BC Sprint] in really good shape,” trainer Librado Barocio said. “He went right to his feed tub that night and he’s been good ever since. On a speed-favoring track like that, we probably have to be a little closer than we were.”
If he goes to Saudi Arabia, Lovesick Blues might face BC Sprint winner Bentornato, who beat him by seven lengths in the BC Sprint.
“I still have faith in my horse,” Barocio said. “I still think with a clean trip, he closes so well, that he can be right there.”
Lovesick Blues won the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes on July 26 at Del Mar.
Big City Lights finished 7 3/4 lengths behind the winner in the BC Sprint. Trainer Richard Mandella will consider a five-furlong turf sprint for Big City Lights’s next start.
“We’ve always thought about trying him on grass,” Mandella said. “I’m going to take a look at the Stormy Liberal.”
Sired by Mr. Big, Big City Lights has won 7 of 14 starts, including five stakes. The Stormy Liberal would be his first start on turf. Plans are pending for Man O Rose, winner of The Chosen Vron. He is likely to be nominated to the Unusual Heat Turf Classic, a turf route at Santa Anita that is usually run in January.
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