NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—Trainer Michael Trombetta said Sonata Stable’s sophomore colt City Fever will target the $135,000 Gio Ponti, a one-mile turf tilt for 3-year-olds on October 6 at Belmont at the Big A.
The City of Light dark bay broke his maiden at second asking on August 13 at Saratoga sprinting 5 1/2- furlongs over the Mellon turf. He led the field from gate-to-wire, setting fractions of 22.61 seconds and 44.96 for the half-mile before edging clear in the stretch to win by 1 1/2-lengths under jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr.
The performance contrasted his debut when he earned second coming from eighth-of-10 at the same distance and surface in July at the Spa.
“He was narrowly beaten in his first start, but he turned it around in his second start,” Trombetta explained. “I think we might stretch him out to a mile and train towards the Gio Ponti in October.”
City Fever was a $275,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
