Finest City (USA)
March 28, 2012 – Living
City Zip (USA) x Be Envied (USA), by Lemon Drop Kid (USA)
Family 8-h
March 28, 2012 – Living
City Zip (USA) x Be Envied (USA), by Lemon Drop Kid (USA)
Family 8-h
While she was a good, consistent sprinter-miler (she showed ability around two turns as well), 2016 American champion female sprinter Finest City owed her title primarily to her win in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (USA-G1) in a year that lacked a clear standout in the division. A graded stakes winner again as a 5-year-old, she was sold to Japanese interests at the end of her racing career.
Race record
20 starts, 5 wins, 4 seconds, 6 thirds, US$1,266,394
2016:
2017:
Honors
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds in the Sprint category on the 2016 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 19 pounds below overall highweight Arrogate (the American champion 3-year-old male) and 7 pounds below the top sprinter, Limato (the European highweight older male over 5-7 furlongs).
As an individual
A chestnut mare, Finest City would try hard regardless of surface or distance. Gifted with a high cruising speed, she was game and determined when set down for a drive.
As a producer
As of June 4, 2024, Finest City has produced one named foal, the winner Danon Early.
Connections
Foaled in Pennsylvania, Finest City was bred by HnR Nothhaft Horseracing. A US$85,000 purchase from the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale, she was owned by Seltzer Thoroughbreds (Wayne and Tyler Seltzer). She was trained by Ian Kruljac with assistance from his father, Eric Kruljac. She was ridden to her win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint by Mike Smith. Offered at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November mixed sale, she was sold for $1.5 million to Katsumi Yoshida and exported to Japan to join the broodmare band at the Yoshida family’s Shadai Stallion Station.
Pedigree notes
Finest City is inbred 3x4 to two-time American champion sire Mr. Prospector. She is a half sister to multiple restricted stakes winner Grand Prix (by Tale of the Cat) and multiple Indian stakes winner Queen Envied (by Lord Admiral). Their dam, Be Envied, placed in two listed stakes races and is a half sister to 2000 Futurity Stakes (USA-G1) winner Burning Roma (by Rubiano). Be Envied is also a half sister to Nero’s Pleasure (by Pleasantly Perfect), dam of restricted stakes winner Finest Work (by Outwork).
Be Envied and her siblings are out of the winning Overskate mare While Rome Burns, whose half sister Vivano (by Island Whirl) won the 1992 Honey Bee Handicap (USA-G3) and is the third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Frumos. While Rome Burns is also a half sister to English Humour (by Conquistador Cielo), dam of Japanese listed stakes winner Tokai Pulsar (by Tokai Teio).
While Rome Burns is out of Fiddlesticks (Northern Dancer x Discipline, by Princequillo), a half sister to 1976 Sorority Stakes (USA-G1) winner Squander (by Buckpasser), dam of Grade 3 winner Serious Spender (by Seattle Slew) and stakes winners Russian Roubles (by Nijinsky II) and All Gone (by Fappiano) and second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Goodbye Halo, Grade 2 winner Living Vicariously, and Grade/Group 3 winners Rosa Eterna and With Distinction, and to 1986 Diana Handicap (USA-G2) winner Duty Dance (by Nijinsky II), dam of Grade 3 winner Party Manners (by Private Account) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Proceed Bee. Fiddlesticks is also a half sister to Call Me Madam (by Bold Ruler), dam of stakes winner Stuttering (by Ack Ack).
Books and media
Footage of Finest City’s win in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvO78FvC5Lw.
Fun facts
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Used by permission.
Last updated: August 17, 2024
Race record
20 starts, 5 wins, 4 seconds, 6 thirds, US$1,266,394
2016:
- Won Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (USA-G1, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Great Lady M. Stakes. (USA-G2, 6.5FD, Los Alamitos; new track record 1:14.48)
- 2nd Santa Monica Stakes (USA-G2, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd John C. Mabee Stakes (USA-G2, 9FT, Del Mar)
- 3rd Vanity Mile Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Santa Anita)
2017:
- Won Santa Monica Stakes (USA-G2, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Santa Margarita Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Humana Distaff Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Beholder Mile Stakes (USA-G1, 8FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Great Lady M. Stakes (USA-G2, 6.5FD, Los Alamitos)
Honors
- Eclipse Award, American champion female sprinter (2016)
- Pennsylvania-bred Horse of the Year (2016)
- Pennsylvania-bred champion older female (2016)
- Pennsylvania-bred champion female sprinter (2016)
Assessments
Rated at 115 pounds in the Sprint category on the 2016 Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, 19 pounds below overall highweight Arrogate (the American champion 3-year-old male) and 7 pounds below the top sprinter, Limato (the European highweight older male over 5-7 furlongs).
As an individual
A chestnut mare, Finest City would try hard regardless of surface or distance. Gifted with a high cruising speed, she was game and determined when set down for a drive.
As a producer
As of June 4, 2024, Finest City has produced one named foal, the winner Danon Early.
Connections
Foaled in Pennsylvania, Finest City was bred by HnR Nothhaft Horseracing. A US$85,000 purchase from the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale, she was owned by Seltzer Thoroughbreds (Wayne and Tyler Seltzer). She was trained by Ian Kruljac with assistance from his father, Eric Kruljac. She was ridden to her win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint by Mike Smith. Offered at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November mixed sale, she was sold for $1.5 million to Katsumi Yoshida and exported to Japan to join the broodmare band at the Yoshida family’s Shadai Stallion Station.
Pedigree notes
Finest City is inbred 3x4 to two-time American champion sire Mr. Prospector. She is a half sister to multiple restricted stakes winner Grand Prix (by Tale of the Cat) and multiple Indian stakes winner Queen Envied (by Lord Admiral). Their dam, Be Envied, placed in two listed stakes races and is a half sister to 2000 Futurity Stakes (USA-G1) winner Burning Roma (by Rubiano). Be Envied is also a half sister to Nero’s Pleasure (by Pleasantly Perfect), dam of restricted stakes winner Finest Work (by Outwork).
Be Envied and her siblings are out of the winning Overskate mare While Rome Burns, whose half sister Vivano (by Island Whirl) won the 1992 Honey Bee Handicap (USA-G3) and is the third dam of Australian Group 3 winner Frumos. While Rome Burns is also a half sister to English Humour (by Conquistador Cielo), dam of Japanese listed stakes winner Tokai Pulsar (by Tokai Teio).
While Rome Burns is out of Fiddlesticks (Northern Dancer x Discipline, by Princequillo), a half sister to 1976 Sorority Stakes (USA-G1) winner Squander (by Buckpasser), dam of Grade 3 winner Serious Spender (by Seattle Slew) and stakes winners Russian Roubles (by Nijinsky II) and All Gone (by Fappiano) and second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Goodbye Halo, Grade 2 winner Living Vicariously, and Grade/Group 3 winners Rosa Eterna and With Distinction, and to 1986 Diana Handicap (USA-G2) winner Duty Dance (by Nijinsky II), dam of Grade 3 winner Party Manners (by Private Account) and second dam of Grade 3 winner Proceed Bee. Fiddlesticks is also a half sister to Call Me Madam (by Bold Ruler), dam of stakes winner Stuttering (by Ack Ack).
Books and media
Footage of Finest City’s win in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvO78FvC5Lw.
Fun facts
- Finest City was foaled in Pennsylvania because breeder Hank Nothank had purchased her dam, Be Envied, with the intent of breeding her to Pennsylvania-based stallion Silver Train after her City Zip foal was delivered.
- Finest City gave Ian Kruljac a win with the very first time he had saddled a horse in his own name, winning a maiden special weight (her second race) at Del Mar on August 23, 2015.
- Finest City is the namesake for a stakes race for juvenile fillies at Presque Isle Downs in Pennsylvania.
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Used by permission.
Last updated: August 17, 2024