Metropolitan Handicap could be next for City of Light

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – City of Light and Accelerate came out of their first- and second-place finishes in the Grade 2, $750,000 Oaklawn Handicap well and walked the shed row Sunday on a cold and breezy morning.

City of Light defeated 6-5 favorite Accelerate by a neck in the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap following a stiff stretch drive. It was 10 lengths back to the pacesetter Untrapped, who finished third in the 11-horse field.

City of Light and Accelerate, who won the Santa Anita Handicap in his prior start for trainer John Sadler, each earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 107. City of Light paid $11.40.

Both horses are based in California. They are scheduled to fly home Monday with the rest of the West Coast contingent who participated in the Racing Festival of the South, including Apple Blossom runner-up Unique Bella and Solomini, who finished third in the Arkansas Derby.

The Oaklawn Handicap was the richest win of trainer Mike McCarthy’s career and an important victory for owner William Warren Jr., who campaigned 2005 Horse of the Year Saint Liam but considered getting out of the game after being unable to come up with another elite horse.

“This horse is more than I could ask for,” Warren said. “I feel very blessed.”

McCarthy, 47, said Sunday morning he was happy for Warren.

“This win has been a long time coming for him,” McCarthy said. “He’s put a lot of money into the game and done a lot of good things behind the scenes that people don’t know about. It’s nice to see him get rewarded.”

Drayden Van Dyke gave City of Light a heady ride after he broke outward and was fourth into the first turn, farther back than he figured to be positioned.

Van Dyke got the strapping colt into a relaxed rhythm and appeared to be just loping along in fourth down the backstretch. The long-striding colt went after Accelerate on the far turn and had the lead by upper stretch.

“He was breathing nice at the half-mile pole, three-eighths pole, and dragged me up next to Accelerate without even batting an eye, so I was smiling at that point,” Van Dyke said. “And when I turned him loose at the quarter-pole he showed another gear.”

Accelerate never quit trying and made up some ground in the final sixteenth, although City of Light kept control of the race and held him off.

After six furlongs in 1:11.53, City of Light and Accelerate went the next quarter-mile in 24.61, stopping the lock at 1:36.14. They came home the final eighth in a sharp 12.13 seconds to complete the course in 1:48.26.

Van Dyke had previously won two Grade 1 races at seven furlongs aboard City of Light. The Oaklawn Handicap was City of Light’s first race beyond that distance.

“I think the extra ground is even better for him than sprinting," Van Dyke said. “I never felt him have that turn of foot when I rode him in the Grade 1s. What I felt today, that was excellent.”

The win opens up new options for City of Light. McCarthy, a Todd Pletcher assistant for 12 years before returning to his Southern California roots and opening his own stable, said the goal is to get City of Light to the Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs in November. Whether he goes in the Dirt Mile, Classic, or even the sprint depends on how his season plays out.

McCarthy is considering the $1.2 million Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park on June 9 as a possible next start. The turnback from nine furlongs to a mile would seem to suit him perfectly.

“We’ll let him dictate where we go from here,” McCarthy said, “but the Met Mile makes a lot of sense. It’s obviously a very prestigious race with a very large purse.”

Hedge Fund, the second betting choice at 7-2, lost his best chance at the start when he broke in the air and was slow from the gate. He moved up to race in fifth position but tired after six furlongs and finished 10th.

Todd Pletcher said he came out of the race fine physically.

“It was an unfortunate start,” Pletcher said.

** Whitmore, who looped his five rivals in the Grade 3, $400,000 Count Fleet Handicap to win by three quarters of a length, earned a 102 Beyer Seed Figure. His chances looked slim at the top of the stretch when he was still in last position, but when he is on his game he possesses a devastating late kick.

Whitmore, who is trained by Ron Moquett, was en route to Churchill Downs by van on Sunday morning.