NYRA/Chelsea Durand
By Sarah Mace
Looking for her first win of 2016 in her Saratoga debut, last year’s champion New York-bred 3-year-old filly Hot City Girl (City Zip) had everything her way on Thursday afternoon at the Spa, when she wired the 6 1/2-furlong, $100,000 Union Avenue Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares.
Out of post five a half-step faster than her rivals, by contrast with rival speedster and projected frontrunner Court Dancer who hit the gate and spotted the field six lengths, odds-on favorite Hot City Girl got over to the rail and quickly put some daylight between herself and early pursuer Hot House Rose while running a first quarter mile in 22.46.
Maintaining a one-length lead along the backstretch and extending her advantage to two lengths through the far turn, Hot City Girl geared up for the drive at the top of the lane. Challenge-minded Quezon swung out and set her sights on the leader, but gave futile chase, as Hot City Girl was roused in upper stretch, maintained her lead unopposed and cruised to a 1 3/4-length victory.
After completing six furlongs in 1:08.67, Hot City Girl stopped the clock at 1:15.03. Runner up Quezon (2-1) finished more than seven lengths ahead of California invader Dr. Fager’s Gal (7-2). Completing the order of finish were: Hot House Rose, the unlucky Court Dancer and Familyofroses. [VIDEO]
Jockey Jose Ortiz said, “Plan ‘A’ was to sit second but the other horse with speed [Court Dancer] didn’t break well so I took charge when she was taken out of the race and she did it.”
Linda Rice who trains Hot City Girl for Lady Sheila Stable, said, “I was concerned about the speed of the number four [Court Dancer], obviously, but we were on the outside. Jose and I talked about it. Our intention was there was a good chance we were going to need to sit second off the four, but we had a good post for that. It’s obvious on [Hot City Girl’s] past performances that she has won most of her races on the lead, so if we get that option that is plan A. When [Court Dancer] didn’t break, it certainly made it easier for us.”
Hot City Girl, a half sister to champion sprinter La Verdad, earned over $450,000 last year. She won the 2015 Grade 3 Charles Town Oaks and Safely Kept Stakes at Laurel, then completed her 3-year-old campaign with a game second-place effort behind Birdatthewire in the Grade 1 La Brea at Santa Anita. In her two 2016 starts she finished fourth in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie in February, and after a freshening, ran third in the Dancing Renee at Belmont Park.
Said Rice, “Last time [in the Dancin Renee] I ran her a bit short [on conditioning], but I tried to make the race because I thought it would be a good prep for bigger and better things. It didn’t pan out as well as we would have liked; we were a bit disappointed. We took a step back and had more time to get her ready for this. She ran well today.”
NYRA/Adam Coglianese
Of the filly’s fine first performance at Saratoga, Rice said, “She has never run over this course. I had her in the Prioress last year. I elected to scratch her; she was in the one-hole in a 12 or 14-horse field at about 30-1. We scratched her and raced in the Grade 3 at Charles Town, which she won. I was hoping she would like the course, but just because La Verdad did, didn’t mean she would.”
Rice may point Hot City Girl next to the Grade 2, $300,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap at Belmont on October 1. “It might be a nice spot for us,” said Rice. “It’s a nice purse and La Verdad won that race last year and this filly has run well at Belmont also.”
With six career wins, including three stakes victories, three seconds and a third in 15 starts, Hot City Girl has earned $588,150.
Bred by Eklektikos Stable LLC, and foaled, like La Verdad, at Chester and Mary Broman’s Chestertown Farm in Chestertown, Hot City Girl is out of Noble Fire, a stakes-placed runner bred by Chester and Mary Broman also trained by Rice.
Rice bought Noble Fire for Eklektikos for $115,000 at the 2007 OBS Spring sale of 2-year-olds in training. In addition to champion sprinter La Verdad and Hot City Girl, Noble Fire is the dam of black type performer N. F.’s Destiny, who has earned over $300,000. Altogether, the mare’s offspring have earned over $2.4 million and she was crowned 2015 New York broodmare of the year . Currently Noble Fire has a weanling colt by Will Take Charge and was bred this year to Pioneerof the Nile.
