DEL MAR, Calif. (Oct. 27, 2025) – Grade I winner Lovesick Blues and fellow California-bred Big City Lights are entered in Saturday’s $2 million Grade I Cygames Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Del Mar.
Lovesick Blues earned his way into the race by taking the “Win and You’re In” Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes on July 26 at the same track and six-furlong distance as the BC Sprint. Not originally nominated, Lovesick Blues’ connections must be supplemented for $100,000.
Lovesick Blues is a 7-year-old gelding by Grazen, out of the Ministers Wild Cat mare Queenofhercastle, was bred by Nick Alexander and purchased privately by current trainer Librado Barocio for his Mia Familia Racing Stable.
Lovesick Blues has nine wins in 42 starts, earnings of $790,000 and prepped for the Breeders’ Cup with a fast-closing second in the Oct. 11 California Flag Handicap, presented by City National Bank, down the Santa Anita hillside turf course.
For his new connections, Lovesick Blues gained his first stakes victory when he captured the Siren Lure Stakes (Listed) on the Santa Anita turf course in May.
Part of the credit for the Bing Crosby score goes to jockey Geovanni Franco who is well acquainted with Lovesick Blues via training time and in his recent races. He will break from the No. 3 post.
“Turning from home he was doing it just like a morning workout,” Franco said immediately after the Bing Crosby. “By the time he hit the stretch, he was all out. I have only been able to ride him in the grass races. And he excels well on the grass, but as far as working him on the main track, he is always dragging me out there. I told Librado, ‘why not take a chance?’”
Lovesick Blues went to the grass for final tuneup for the Breeders’ Cup in the 6 1/2-furlong California Flag Handicap at Santa Anita on Oct. 11. Last early in the field of seven, Lovesick Blues closed fastest of all to finish second a nose shy of favored Man O Rose.
Prior to this year, Lovesick Blues spent the majority of his career in the claiming and allowance ranks with an occasional on-the-board appearance in races restricted to California-breds.
Big City Lights is by Mr. Big, out of the Exchange Rate mare Champagne Exchange, was bred by Bar C Racing Stables, is owned by William Peeples, trained by Richard Mandella and will be ridden by Kaz Kimura.
A lightly raced 6-year-old gelding, Big City Lights has seven wins in 13 starts and has never finished off the board, with earnings of $578,420. He would be making his first start since a win in the Jan. 18 Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint.