Heavily Favored Big City Lights Up To Win Grade III, $100,000 Palos Verdes Stakes

HEAVILY FAVORED BIG CITY LIGHTS UP TO WIN GRADE III, $100,000 PALOS VERDES STAKES BY A NOSE; MANDELLA & PRAT TEAM FOR SIX PANEL WIN IN 1:09.91

TALENTED CAL-BRED GETS FIRST GRADED STAKES VICTORY IN NINTH CAREER START

ARCADIA, CA (Feb. 10, 2024)—Although he didn’t show his customary early zip, Richard Mandella’s heavily favored Big City Lights kept to his task when it counted and was up to beat Bob Baffert’s Hopkins by a nose in Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita.  Ridden by Flavien Prat, California-bred Big City Lights, got six furlongs in 1:09.91.

With Hopkins and Juan Hernandez breaking sharply from his outside box, Big City Lights trailed by a length three furlongs from home and appeared to be in deep water at the furlong marker, as Hopkins had increased his advantage to 1 ½ lengths.  From there however, Hopkins, tired a bit late at the rail and Big City Lights was just up on the money.

A lightly raced 5-year-old full horse by Mr. Big, Big City Lights registered his first graded stakes win in his ninth career start.  Most recently victorious versus open company in a 6 ½ furlong allowance Jan. 6, Big City Lights, a two-time stakes winner coming in, was off as the 2-5 favorite in a field of five older horses and paid $2.80, $2.10 and $2.10.

Owned by William Peeples and purchased as a yearling for $22,000, Big City Lights gave Hall of Famer Mandella his second Palos Verdes win, the first coming with Eclipse Champion Sprinter Phone Trick in 1985.

Out of the Exchange Rate mare Champagne Exchange, Big City Lights now has five wins and four seconds from his nine starts and with today’s winner’s share of $60,000, increased his earnings to $392,420.

For his part, Hopkins ran too good to lose, finishing second by four lengths over See Through It.  The second choice at 9-5, he paid $2.40 and $2.10.

Ridden by Tiago Pereira, fellow California-bred See Through it was off at 12-1 and paid $2.10 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.75, 45.09 and 56.85.