City of Light (USA)
May 7, 2014 – Living
Quality Road (USA) x Paris Notion (USA), by Dehere (USA)
Family 2-e
May 7, 2014 – Living
Quality Road (USA) x Paris Notion (USA), by Dehere (USA)
Family 2-e
A very well-bred horse, City of Light could have been almost anything based on his pedigree. What he turned out to be was a first-rate horse over 7 to 9 furlongs, though probably better around one turn than two. He went to stud with four Grade 1 wins to his credit and gave a tantalizing hint that he might have been a still better horse at 5 had he remained in training, given his powerful victory in the 2019 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (USA-G1). As a stallion, his best runner so far has been 2023 American champion 2-year-old male Fierceness.
Race record
11 starts, 6 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third, US$5,662,600
2017:
2018:
2019:
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds in the Mile category on the 2018 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 10 pounds below co-highweights Cracksman and Winx (who both earned their top ratings in the Intermediate category) and 7 pounds below the top-rated milers, Beauty Generation, Gun Runner, and Winx.
Rated at 124 pounds in the Mile category on the 2019 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 4 pounds below highweighted Crystal Ocean and 3 pounds below the top miler, Beauty Generation.
As an individual
A handsome, powerfully made bay horse, City of Light is well-balanced with a deep girth and the strong hindquarter and hind leg typical of the Mr. Prospector line. He usually stayed close to the pace when racing. He handled both fast and sloppy surfaces well.
As a stallion
City of Light entered stud at Lane’s End Farm in 2019. According to The Blood-Horse, he was 10th on the American freshman sire list in 2022, 5th on the American second-crop sire list in 2023, 3rd on the American third-crop sire list in 2024, and 4th on the American fourth-crop sire list in 2025.
Notable progeny
Fierceness (USA), Formidable Man (USA), Summer Starlet (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, City of Light was bred by Noreen O’Neill’s Ann Marie Farm. He was sold to Walnut Green for US$710,000 through the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale. He raced in the colors of William K. Warren Jr. and Suzanne Warren. He was trained by Michael McCarthy and was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup success by Javier Castellano. He entered stud in Kentucky in 2019 at Lane’s End Farm.
Pedigree notes
City of Light is inbred 5x4 to two-time American Horse of the Year Secretariat and to Secretariat’s dam, 1973 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Somethingroyal. He is also inbred 5x5x4 to the breed-shaping sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. City of Light is a half brother to stakes-placed Exotic Notion (by Lemon Drop Kid), dam of 2025 Peter Pan Stakes (USA-G3) winner Hill Road (by Quality Road).
City of Light is the last foal produced from unraced Paris Notion, a half sister to 1997 Test Stakes (USA-G1) winner Fabulously Fast (by Dehere’s sire, Deputy Minister). Paris Notion is also a half sister to Paris Rose (by Accelerator), dam of 2009 Debutante Stakes (USA-G3) winner Decelerator (by Dehere), second dam of South African Group 2 winner Nafaayes and Hong Kong Group 3 winner Stoltz, and third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Hedged. In addition, Paris Notion is a half sister to Fabulous Goer (by Easy Goer), second dam of Grade 2 winner Royal Lahaina.
Paris Notion and her siblings were produced from 1983 Santa Susana Stakes (USA-G1) winner Fabulous Notion (by Secretariat’s Grade 1-placed half brother Somethingfabulous, by Northern Dancer), a half sister to 1990 Turf Classic Handicap (USA-G1) winner Cacoethes (by Alydar). Produced from stakes-placed Careless Notion (by 1957 Futurity Stakes winner Jester), Fabulous Notion is also a half sister to restricted stakes winner Margaret Booth (by Well Decorated), second dam of Grade 3 winner Lucky J. H. and third dam of Grade 3 winner Liberal Arts and of Lipsofanangel, the 2011 champion imported older female in the Dominican Republic. In addition, Fabulous Notion is a half sister to The Way We Were (by Avatar), dam of multiple stakes winner Fighting Notion (by Fighting Fit), and to Careless Virgin (by Wing Out), dam of Grade 1-placed listed stakes winner Island Jamboree (by Explodent), second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Fiji and Group 2 winner Capri, and third dam of 2013 Belgian champion imported sprinter Hidden Destiny and 2013 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1) winner Java’s War. Another half sister to Fabulous Notion, Not So Careless (by Desert Wine), is the dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Subordination (by Mt. Livermore) and Grade 3-placed restricted stakes winner Domination (by Prized), the second dam of 2009 Alabama Stakes (USA-G1) winner Careless Jewel, and the third dam of 2015 Saudi Arabian champion 2-year-old filly Tabarak. Finally, Fabulous Notion is a half sister to Careless Aly (by Alydar), third dam of 2020 Irish One Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Peaceful.
Books and media
Video footage of City of Light’s win in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oN37osnV0A.
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Lane's End Farm in 2020. Used by permission.
Last updated: September 19, 2026.
Race record
11 starts, 6 wins, 4 seconds, 1 third, US$5,662,600
2017:
- Won Malibu Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Santa Anita)
2018:
- Won Triple Bend Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (USA-G1, 8FD, Churchill Downs)
- Won Oaklawn Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Forego Stakes (USA-G1, 7FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
2019:
- Won Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
Assessments
Rated at 120 pounds in the Mile category on the 2018 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 10 pounds below co-highweights Cracksman and Winx (who both earned their top ratings in the Intermediate category) and 7 pounds below the top-rated milers, Beauty Generation, Gun Runner, and Winx.
Rated at 124 pounds in the Mile category on the 2019 Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, 4 pounds below highweighted Crystal Ocean and 3 pounds below the top miler, Beauty Generation.
As an individual
A handsome, powerfully made bay horse, City of Light is well-balanced with a deep girth and the strong hindquarter and hind leg typical of the Mr. Prospector line. He usually stayed close to the pace when racing. He handled both fast and sloppy surfaces well.
As a stallion
City of Light entered stud at Lane’s End Farm in 2019. According to The Blood-Horse, he was 10th on the American freshman sire list in 2022, 5th on the American second-crop sire list in 2023, 3rd on the American third-crop sire list in 2024, and 4th on the American fourth-crop sire list in 2025.
Notable progeny
Fierceness (USA), Formidable Man (USA), Summer Starlet (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Kentucky, City of Light was bred by Noreen O’Neill’s Ann Marie Farm. He was sold to Walnut Green for US$710,000 through the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale. He raced in the colors of William K. Warren Jr. and Suzanne Warren. He was trained by Michael McCarthy and was ridden to his Breeders’ Cup success by Javier Castellano. He entered stud in Kentucky in 2019 at Lane’s End Farm.
Pedigree notes
City of Light is inbred 5x4 to two-time American Horse of the Year Secretariat and to Secretariat’s dam, 1973 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Somethingroyal. He is also inbred 5x5x4 to the breed-shaping sire Northern Dancer, the 1964 Canadian Horse of the Year and American champion 3-year-old male. City of Light is a half brother to stakes-placed Exotic Notion (by Lemon Drop Kid), dam of 2025 Peter Pan Stakes (USA-G3) winner Hill Road (by Quality Road).
City of Light is the last foal produced from unraced Paris Notion, a half sister to 1997 Test Stakes (USA-G1) winner Fabulously Fast (by Dehere’s sire, Deputy Minister). Paris Notion is also a half sister to Paris Rose (by Accelerator), dam of 2009 Debutante Stakes (USA-G3) winner Decelerator (by Dehere), second dam of South African Group 2 winner Nafaayes and Hong Kong Group 3 winner Stoltz, and third dam of Australian Group 2 winner Hedged. In addition, Paris Notion is a half sister to Fabulous Goer (by Easy Goer), second dam of Grade 2 winner Royal Lahaina.
Paris Notion and her siblings were produced from 1983 Santa Susana Stakes (USA-G1) winner Fabulous Notion (by Secretariat’s Grade 1-placed half brother Somethingfabulous, by Northern Dancer), a half sister to 1990 Turf Classic Handicap (USA-G1) winner Cacoethes (by Alydar). Produced from stakes-placed Careless Notion (by 1957 Futurity Stakes winner Jester), Fabulous Notion is also a half sister to restricted stakes winner Margaret Booth (by Well Decorated), second dam of Grade 3 winner Lucky J. H. and third dam of Grade 3 winner Liberal Arts and of Lipsofanangel, the 2011 champion imported older female in the Dominican Republic. In addition, Fabulous Notion is a half sister to The Way We Were (by Avatar), dam of multiple stakes winner Fighting Notion (by Fighting Fit), and to Careless Virgin (by Wing Out), dam of Grade 1-placed listed stakes winner Island Jamboree (by Explodent), second dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Fiji and Group 2 winner Capri, and third dam of 2013 Belgian champion imported sprinter Hidden Destiny and 2013 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (USA-G1) winner Java’s War. Another half sister to Fabulous Notion, Not So Careless (by Desert Wine), is the dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Subordination (by Mt. Livermore) and Grade 3-placed restricted stakes winner Domination (by Prized), the second dam of 2009 Alabama Stakes (USA-G1) winner Careless Jewel, and the third dam of 2015 Saudi Arabian champion 2-year-old filly Tabarak. Finally, Fabulous Notion is a half sister to Careless Aly (by Alydar), third dam of 2020 Irish One Thousand Guineas (IRE-G1) winner Peaceful.
Books and media
Video footage of City of Light’s win in the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oN37osnV0A.
Photo credit
Photo taken by Jessica Morgan at Lane's End Farm in 2020. Used by permission.
Last updated: September 19, 2026.