City of Light broke from the rail, sprinted to the lead, flew through his opening quarter-mile in 22.64 seconds - and never let up. The lesser regarded of two southern California shippers dominated the $1 million Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile while the other, Catalina Cruiser, spun his wheels. 

City of Light, going a half in 45.16, six furlongs in 1:09.03, and seven in 1:20.97, stopped the timer in a brilliant 1:33.83 for a one-turn mile on a fast track. He came home 2 3/4 to the good of runner-up Seeking the Soul and paid $7.20 to win as the second choice. 

City of Light gave trainer Michael McCarthy his first Breeders' Cup winner with just his second starter. Meanwhile, trainer John Sadler now is zero for 43 in Breeders' Cup races after Catalina Cruiser checked in sixth as the 4-5 favorite. Catalina Cruiser, an easy winner of his first four starts, had the outside starting stall and turned right, toward the outside fence, after leaving the gate. Jockey Drayden Van Dyke got Catalina Cruiser back in the game but after stalking the pace while wide, the favorite came under a ride nearly a half-mile out and was beaten before the quarter-pole.

Meanwhile, Javier Castellano, who had come to Churchill to work City of Light last weekend in preparation for his first mount on the horse, was sailing along. City of Light turned for home with a clear lead and finished with aplomb, continuing an excellent and ambitious campaign during which he won the Grade 1 Triple Bend over seven furlongs at Santa Anita and the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap (where he beat leading older dirt-route horse Accelerate) going 1 1/8 miles in Arkansas; finished third in the 1 1/4-mile Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita; and was second in the Grade 1 Forego over seven furlongs at Saratoga. 

City of Light is being aimed at the Cigar Mile and, potentially, the Pegasus before going to stud next year at Lane's End Farm.

McCarthy, a former longtime assistant to Todd Pletcher who's in the midst of a breakout season in California, thought his horse would thrive over the Churchill surface and at the one-turn mile configuration. He was right on both counts. 

Seeking the Soul got into some trouble at the quarter-pole that cost him something, but probably not enough to bridge the gap to the winner. Bravazo finished another 2 1/2 lengths back in third.

City of Light is a 4-year-old colt by Quality Road and out of the Dehere mare Paris Notion. He was bred by Ann Marie Farm and is owned by Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren.