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After City to City could do no better than fourth as the 9-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Robert J. Frankel Stakes on New Year's Day, bettors let her go off at 8-1 in Monday's Grade 2, $150,000 Buena Vista Handicap. But the classy turf mare found a more favorable scenario in the Presidents' Day feature at Santa Anita, and prevailed in a blanket finish to repay her loyalists with $19, $7 and $5.20. At the same time, City to City was giving some compensation to her Hall of Fame trainer and co-owner Jerry Hollendorfer, who was out of luck in his trip to Oaklawn Park with Longview Drive for the first division of Monday's Grade 3 Southwest Stakes.

Campaigned by Hollendorfer in partnership with William DeBurgh and Mark DeDomenico, City to City thrived on the cutback from nine furlongs to a mile on turf, and the closer was also helped by a searing pace. Briecat and Sweetly Peppered tore off in a speed duel through splits of :22 2/5, :45 3/5 and 1:09 3/5. Royal Ascot Group 2 winner Strawberrydaiquiri stalked in third in her U.S. debut for Ben Cecil, but City to City sat farther back in midpack with Corey Nakatani.

Strawberrydaiquiri launched her bid at the top of the stretch and took over from the spent pace factors, only to find City to City rallying smartly. Although Strawberrydaiquiri tried to respond, her lack of race fitness might have told in the crucible of the final furlong. City to City struck the front, and was in turn accosted by the late-running Up in Time. But the deep closer could not quite get there, as City to City stuck her head out and kept it there crossing the wire. The winner stopped the teletimer in 1:34 on the firm turf.

Up in Time was a half-length ahead of Wild Mia, who speared through along the inside to rob Strawberrydaiquiri of third, also by a half-length. Cambina rattled home from last for fifth, trailed by 3-1 favorite Vamo a Galupiar, So Belle, Andina, Camille C, Sweetly Peppered and Briecat. The also-eligible Secret Cove stayed in the barn.

City to City was registering her fourth stakes score, and her third at the Grade 2 level, upping her mark to 24-7-5-5, $503,491. Successful in last year's Grade 2 Palomar Handicap as well as the Grade 2 Providencia and the China Doll in 2010, the five-year-old chestnut has also placed in seven stakes, including the Grade 2 Las Palmas, Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap, Grade 2 Honeymoon Handicap and the Grade 3 Senorita.

Bred by Dr. D. Michael Cavey Jr. in Kentucky, City to City has toured the auction ring twice. The daughter of City Zip brought just $15,000 as a Keeneland November weanling, and DeDomenico purchased her for $50,000 as a Washington September yearling. She is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Purrfect Punch, the dam of stakes scorer Splendid in Spring.

City to City was produced by the winning Storm Cat mare Stormbow. The winner's second dam, Rainbow Two, is a full sister to two-time Canadian champion Rainbow Connection. A noted matron, Rainbow Connection is herself the dam of three-time Canadian champion Rainbows for Life, Group 2 queen and multiple Grade 1-placed Colour Chart and Canadian stakes winner Always a Rainbow. Colour Chart went on to produce champion Tempera, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine of 2001, and multiple Group 3 scorer Equerry. This is also the family of multiple Grade 1 victor White Heart and Canadian champion Comet Shine.

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