Evans influence lights up Pegasus World Cup again as City shines brightest

For the second time in as many years, a distinct Edward P. Evans flavour shone through at the Pegasus World Cup, North America’s richest race which was run on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Last year, the true power of Evans’ breeding programme was on show through Gun Runner, a member of his Quiet Dance family who closed out his racing career with a bloodless success over West Coast. This year’s winner City Of Light was even more impressive, drawing clear over a sloppy track for a near six-length victory over Seeking The Soul and Accelerate.

While the colt, who also won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and Triple Bend Stakes for trainer Mike McCarthy, does not hail from an Evans female family, he is the best colt sired by Quality Road, the last top horse bred by Evans at his Spring Hill Farm in Virginia before his death in December 2010.