Four Roses Thoroughbred’s CITY ATTRACTION (Vicar) gamely prevailed between
rivals in Saturday’s $105,100
Gravesend H. (G3), notching his first stakes victory with a three-quarters
of a length decision over the muddy, sealed inner track at Aqueduct. Trained by Richard Dutrow, the four-year-old colt vied for the early lead to the outside of Debussy
(Concerto), who established splits in :22 3/5, :45 4/5 and :58 2/5, and Joey P.
(Close Up) joined the party on the far outside in the final furlongs. City
Attraction surged under Mike Luzzi in deep stretch, finishing six furlongs in
1:11 4/5.
One of three 2-1 runners in the five-horse field, City Attraction returned
$6.70, $2.90 and $2.30 as the co-second choice. Joey P., the slight favorite,
stumbled at the start and wound up just short after offering a menacing
challenge into the stretch drive. He paid $3.20 and $2.60 for the place. Debussy
trailed by another half-length in third and gave back $3.40 as the 6-1 outsider
in the field. The exacta totaled $15.80, and the 6-3-2 trifecta was $62.50. Gold
and Roses (Gold Token) and Pavo (Marquetry) rounded out the order of finish. P.
Kerney (Pleasant Tap) was withdrawn.
Bred in Kentucky by Lothenbach Stables, City Attraction sold for $35,000 as a
yearling at the 2004 Keeneland September sale. A close third in the Fall
Highweight H. in his previous outing, the dark bay has now earned $251,299 from
a 16-5-5-2 line. He’s the first foal out of the winning Quiet American mare
American Slew and has a weanling full sister. The 10-year-old mare is a
half-sister to the Grade 3-placed You’re the One (Cure the Blues). This is the
female family of Grade 3 winner Til Forbid (Temperence Hill), runner-up in
the 1991 Alabama S. (G1); Grade 2 heroine Softly (Binalong); and Grade 3 winners
Scoop (Gone West) and Hold Old Blue (Seattle Song).