Mandella will aim higher, 'shop around' for Big City Lights' next race

ARCADIA, Calif. – Big City Lights has changed in the last several months, forcing a reassessment of what the 6-year-old can achieve this year.

“I think he’s gotten better,” trainer Richard Mandella said on Sunday.

Big City Lights is unbeaten in two starts since a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar in late August. Granted, the wins have been against California-breds – in the Cary Grant Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 9, and Saturday’s $122,500 California Cup Sprint – but the margins of the victories, and the quickness, has led trainer Richard Mandella to aim for higher goals in coming months.

Big City Lights won the Cary Grant Stakes by 8 1/2 lengths. In the California Cup Sprint at six furlongs, Big City Lights stalked the pace and pulled clear to beat three rivals by 7 3/4 lengths in 1:09.46. Ridden by Flavien Prat, Big City Lights earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 104.

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“Flavien got off the horse yesterday and thought he could have beaten anybody,” Mandella said on Sunday morning.

By comparison, Straight No Chaser earned a Beyer figure of 103 for his win in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar in November. Straight No Chaser is a finalist for the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding sprinter of 2024, an award that will be announced in Florida on Thursday evening.

On Saturday, Mandella mentioned the Group 1 Golden Shaheen Sprint, a $2 million race at six furlongs in Dubai on April 5, as a possible goal for Big City Lights. Mandella said domestic races are under consideration.

“I’m going to shop around and take a look,” Mandella said.

Owned by Bill Peeples, Big City Lights has won 7 of 13 starts and earned $578,420. Last February, Big City Lights won the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs at Santa Anita, the only graded stakes win of his career. The Palos Verdes on Feb. 15 is the next stakes for older sprinters at Santa Anita at the current winter-spring meeting.

Big City Lights was the most high-profile winner of five stakes for statebreds at Santa Anita on Saturday. Three winners of other races may return in minor stakes against open company, stakes for statebreds, or allowance races, their trainers said on Sunday.

Shocking Grey, who won the first stakes of her career in the $126,500 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint at about 6 1/2 furlongs, is scheduled to be sold on Tuesday at the winter mixed sale in Pomona, Calif., as part of a complete dispersal of the racing and breeding holdings of the late owner and breeder Don Valpredo.

Big City Lights was favored and was one of three winning favorites in California Cup races.

Old Pal won the $176,500 California Cup Classic at 1 1/8 miles on turf by a length, closing from sixth in a field of 11. A 5-year-old gelding, Old Pal won his second stakes on Saturday, 20 months after a victory in the Snow Chief Stakes against 3-year-old statebreds on turf at Santa Anita. Old Pal was favored and returned $5.60.

Trainer Mark Glatt said Old Pal remains eligible for allowance race conditions, but that a distance stakes on turf is a possibility “if we caught the right field.”

The outcome of the $175,000 California Cup Derby at 1 1/16 miles was messy. Shea Brennan finished first, but was disqualified and placed second for bumping runner-up Whiskyginandbrandy as the field approached the stretch.

Whiskyginandbrandy, who paid $42.20, will be considered for the $125,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for statebreds at 6 1/2 furlongs on April 5, trainer Steve Knapp said.

“We’ve got to look toward the Echo Eddie,” Knapp said on Sunday. “I didn’t look past yesterday. I didn’t know if he could run a mile and a sixteenth and obviously he can.”

Whiskyginandbrandy won a maiden race for statebreds at six furlongs at Del Mar on Nov. 3 in his sixth start, and was a troubled fourth by 1 3/4 lengths in his stakes debut in the King Glorious Stakes for statebreds at Los Alamitos on Dec. 15, a race won by Shea Brennan.

Knapp said Whiskyginandbrandy has changed in recent months.

“He’s putting on weight and his stride is getting better,” he said. “It’s nice to have a good horse.”

Shea Brennan could start in an allowance race on turf, according to trainer Phil D’Amato. Shea Brennan has never started on turf.

D’Amato declined to discuss the inquiry at length on Sunday.

“Anytime the stewards hang an inquiry, you’re concerned,” he said. “It does no good to say anything. It’s part of the game and you move on.”

Take Another Card remained unbeaten after two starts with a neck victory from off the pace in the $177,000 California Cup Oaks at one mile on turf, her first start since a debut win in a six-furlong maiden race for statebred 2-year-old fillies on Dec. 29.

Take Another Card, who was favored on Saturday, will have a break between starts, with the $100,000 China Doll Stakes against open company at one mile on turf on March 23 as an early spring goal.

“She ran good and looked good this morning,” trainer Simon Callaghan said. “I think she’s a nice filly to look forward to. I think she run two tough races.”

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