Graded winner Big City Lights tries turf as the 126-pound highweight in the California Flag Handicap presented by City National Bank for California-breds going 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside course Saturday at Santa Anita Park

__GRADED WINNER BIG CITY LIGHTS TRIES TURF AS THE 126-POUND HIGHWEIGHT IN THE CALIFORNIA FLAG HANDICAP PRESENTED BY CITY NATIONAL BANK FOR CALIFORNIA-BREDS GOING 6 ½ FURLONGS ON THE HILLSIDE COURSE SATURDAY AT SANTA ANITA PARK __

ARCADIA, CA (Oct. 5, 2026)—Dirt graded-stakes winner Big City Lights will test Santa Anita’s unique hillside turf course for the first time Saturday as the 126-pound highweight in the $100,000 California Flag Handicap for horses bred or sired in California at about 6 ½ furlongs.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Big City Lights—a six-time stakes winner on the main track including the 2024 GIII Palos Verdes at Santa Anita—will run on turf for just the second time in what will be his 19th career start. Last November, the 7-year-old horse by Mr. Big contested the five-furlong Stormy Liberal on grass at Del Mar and was never a factor when finishing ninth.

Big City Lights most recently finished third for the second year in a row in the GII Pat O’Brien going seven furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 29. Previously, he beat statebreds in the Thor’s Echo going six furlongs at Santa Anita in May. Owned by William R. Peeples, Big City Lights has an overall record of 18: 9-4-3 with $741,960 in earnings. He’ll have Kazushi Kimura in the irons.

Stakes winner Boss Sully returns for trainer Brian Koriner after a three-month layoff. In his most recent start, Boss Sully shipped to Saratoga to face open company in the Harvey Pack on July 5 going five furlongs on turf. The 6-year-old gelding by Street Boss stalked the pace in third that day before weakening to last in a field of eight. In his only other start this year, Boss Sully won the Sire Lure going six furlongs on turf in May at Santa Anita.

Boss Sully, who is owned by Edward Rusty J. Brown, Alan P. Klein and Phillip Lebherz, will carry 123 pounds with Hall of Famer Mike Smith aboard. He enters with an overall mark of 18: 6-2-2 with $471,392 in earnings. He is 1-for-2 on the hillside turf course.

Flyover won a pair of stakes against statebreds during Santa Anita’s winter-spring season including the Sensational Star on the hillside turf course in March. He’ll tote 124 pounds with Emisael Jaramillo aboard. Trained by John Sadler, Flyover most recently finished fourth after setting a contested pace in a high-level allowance going five furlongs on turf on July 19 at Del Mar.

A 5-year-old horse by Om, Flyover is owned by Integrity Thoroughbred Racing, The Ellwood Johnston Trust and Kenneth A. Tevelde. He enters with a record of 12: 6-0-0 with $305,690 in earnings.

THE CALIFORNIA FLAG HANDICAP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 10 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT

1. Lonesome Stew—Umberto Rispoli—121
2. On The Whim—Tiago Pereira—121
3. Chromeflash—Ricky Gonzalez—112
4. Flyover—Emisael Jaramillo—124
5. Steak Fries—Juan Hernandez—117
6. Big City Lights—Kazushi Kimura—126
7. Boss Sully—Mike Smith—123

First post Saturday is at 1 p.m. PT.