Grade 1 winner City of Light to stand at Lane's End upon retirement

Multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire City of Light will join his sire, Quality Road, at Lane’s End Farm upon the conclusion of his racing career, it was announced Friday.

“We are thrilled to have the best son by our top young stallion join our roster,” said Will Farish. “City of Light has a tremendous amount of speed from a fantastic female family and is clearly the best son to date by one of the elite stallions in America, Quality Road.”

In his stakes debut, City of Light wired the Malibu Stakes (G1) going seven furlongs at Santa Anita. It didn’t take long for City of Light to annex another score at the highest level, taking the Triple Bend Stakes (G1) in his next start. The Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren color bearer continued his stakes-winning streak with a rallying victory in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) when stretching out to 1 1/8 miles, earning a career-best 107 Beyer Speed Figure.

“City of Light is an unbelievable physical (specimen) with the kind of tactical speed that wins races in America,” trainer Michael McCarthy said. “He has all of the attributes of a successful stallion.”

City of Light is a son of Lane’s End Farms’ leading fifth-crop sire, Quality Road, who has held the Amsterdam Stakes (G2) track record at Saratoga for almost a decade. He has amassed over $29 million in progeny earnings and currently leads all North American and European sires so far this year with four Grade 1 winners, 13 black-type winners and nine graded winners. 

“City of Light is a very fast, sound, consistent horse,” Bill Farish said. “He has continued to run at the highest level against top competition with graded stakes victories ranging from seven furlongs to 1 1/8 miles. His sire and brilliance, coupled with his looks, makes him a very exciting prospect.”

Sold by Lane’s End for $710,000 as a yearling at the Keeneland September Sale, City of Light was bred in Kentucky by Ann Marie Farm. City of Light’s speed can also be traced back to his damside. He is out of the Dehere mare Paris Notion. Paris Notion is a 3/4-sibling to Test (G1) victress Fabulously Fast, both out of Grade 1 winner Fabulous Notion. This is the family of Grade 1-winning millionaires Cacoethes, Subordination and Careless Jewel. 

City of Light is scheduled to make his next start in the Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. A stud fee will be announced upon retirement.