City of Light Settles In at Gulfstream Park

William and Suzanne Warren's City of Light  settled in nicely at Gulfstream Park the morning of Jan. 17 after shipping cross-country from his Southern California base for a scheduled start in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) Jan. 26.

"He got here in good order; he traveled in good order. This is his fourth ship in a year. He's got this down pat. He doesn't need to take his racetrack, his environment, with him," said trainer Michael McCarthy, whose multiple grade 1 winner stretched his legs over the Gulfstream track before returning to his stall in Barn 16. "He seemed like he enjoyed it out there today."

Video of City of Light's Gulfstream arrival

The Pegasus World Cup, the richest race in North America, provides City of Light one last opportunity to add another grade 1 stakes victory to his résumé and millions of dollars to his bankroll before retiring to stud at Lane's End.

"He goes to Lane's End right after this—right after this. It's a little bittersweet, but he deserves it," McCarthy said.

City of Light will make his final career start and his first start since concluding his 2018 campaign with a sensational 2 3/4-length score in frontrunning fashion in the $1 million Breeder's Cup Dirt Mile (G1) Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.

"On the calendar year, it's nice that for some of these horses, it gives them one more chance to go ahead and show the fans," McCarthy said of the $9 million Pegasus. "It's quite a number. It's wonderful of The Stronach Group to put something on like this at a venue like this with the supporting cast—Snoop Dogg and the entertainment—and the spectacle that goes along with it.

"At the end of the day, for me, it's still a horse race. There's lots to prepare for."

McCarthy is planning to give the 5-year-old son of Quality Road  one final tuneup for the Pegasus at Gulfstream.

"He'll have a little work here. I'll watch the weather and decide what day it will be, maybe Saturday," McCarthy said. "It'll probably be a little half-mile just to get him used to his surroundings."

A three-time grade 1 winner, City of Light defeated likely Pegasus favorite Accelerate  in last year's Oaklawn Handicap (G2) at 1 1/8 miles at Oaklawn Park. Accelerate turned the tables on City of Light in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes (G1), winning that 1 1/4-mile race where City of Light finished third.

"We've met twice. It's a tie ballgame so far," McCarthy said.