Light the City shows new dimension in Anoakia

Cheyenne Stables' Light the City led throughout in her debut maiden win, but

the promising Jerry Hollendorfer juvenile showed that she's capable of picking

up the pieces from off the pace in Sunday's $76,500

Anoakia

Stakes at Santa Anita.

Hollendorfer's other runner, Seduire, engaged in a torrid speed duel with

Xoxo. As they vied through fractions of :21 and :43 4/5 in what track announcer

Trevor Denman aptly described as a "war of attrition," even-money favorite Light

the City was reserved several lengths back in third by Elvis Trujillo.

Seduire put away her pace nemesis turning for home, but her early exertions

were taking their toll. Try though Seduire might to dig in down the lane, she

was powerless to resist the fresh-legged Light the City at the five-furlong mark

in :56 1/5. The favorite swooped with devastating momentum to win going away by

2 1/2 lengths while negotiating six furlongs in 1:09 on the fast track.

"We stumbled a bit leaving the gate," said Trujillo, who was also aboard for

the maiden win. "I knew the speed was going to be Xoxo and Seduire, so I tucked

in behind them and at the quarter pole, I let her go and she was ready. She did

it all easily."

Seduire, last seen finishing fifth in the August 30 Del Mar Debutante, was

second by 5 3/4 lengths with Corey Nakatani in the saddle. Starlet O'Hara

prevailed over Holiday Maker in the photo for third, and Xoxo faded badly to

trail the five-filly field. Moons Over Me was scratched.

"They went fast on the front end, and I thought Seduire held in there really

good," said Hollendorfer, who employed Nakatani for the first time in nearly

three months.

"I would think Light the City could go two turns, but we'll take them one at

a time. They've been working together and they've been quite equal."

Light the City is bred to route, as a daughter of Street Sense and the A.P.

Indy mare Light from Above. Her dam is a half-sister to Grade 3-winning sire

Strategic Partner and to multiple stakes heroine Richies Party Girl, who just

set a 6 1/2-furlong course record in the Kentucky Downs Ladies Sprint and has

her sights on the

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

Light the City's second dam is Grade 3 scorer Very Special Lite, and other

maternal relatives include Group 2-winning millionaire and sire Two Step Salsa

and 1972 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe queen San San.

Bred by Hargus and Sandra Sexton in Kentucky, Light the City sold for $80,000

as a Keeneland

September yearling. The May 14 foal RNA'd for $100,000 at Fasig-Tipton Florida

this March. She wired a six-furlong maiden by 2 3/4 lengths at Del Mar on August

24. Now two-for-two, she has bankrolled $90,900.

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