Mandella says Big City Lights could start in Palos Verdes Stakes

The sprinter Big City Lights won for the first time in 17 months in an allowance race at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on Saturday that was likely a prep for the 5-year-old’s graded stakes debut next month.

Trainer Richard Mandella said on Sunday that Big City Lights may return in the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes, a $100,000 race at six furlongs on Feb. 10.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Big City Lights was always near the front and won by a half-length over the 2023 graded stakes winner Newgate. Big City Lights was timed in 1:14.85 and earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 99.

Big City Lights was beaten in his four previous starts by The Chosen Vron, the leading California-bred in-training. All the losses were second-place finishes in stakes for statebreds.

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The Chosen Vron is scheduled to start in the $150,000 California Cup Sprint for statebreds at six furlongs next Saturday, a race he won last year by a neck over Big City Lights.

Big City Lights is nominated for the Cal Cup Sprint, but Mandella said the allowance race had greater appeal.

“We were trying to duck the horse that keeps beating him,” he said.

Newgate, starting for the first time since a win in the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes last February, closed from fourth to be closest to the front at the finish.

“He did everything but win,” trainer Bob Baffert said.

Mandella has altered early year race plans for Planetario, the winner of the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar on Nov. 24.

While the $2.5 million Red Sea Handicap at 1 7/8 miles on turf in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 25 remains a goal, Mandella mentioned on Sunday that a start in the Grade 3 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Feb. 4 is likely.

“It’s a long gap to go to” Saudi Arabia, Mandella said. “He’s a heavy horse. I might run him and take him to Saudi.”

Ruby Nell, who won the Lady of Shamrock Stakes at a mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies on Dec. 31 by 4 1/2 lengths as the 1-5 favorite, is scheduled to start in the Grade 3 Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf Invitational, a $500,000 race at 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27.

Ruby Nell was ridden by Edwin Maldonado for her final six starts of 2023, which included four wins. She may need a new rider for the Gulfstream Park race.

Maldonado sustained a shoulder injury when he was unseated during workouts at Santa Anita on Saturday and is scheduled to miss “two or three weeks,” according to his agent, Tony Matos.

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