Meydan City, who sold for $11.7 million as a yearling, broke his maiden July 9 going 10 furlongs at Newmarket in England. The 3-year-old son of Kingmambo, carrying Godolphin's colors and ridden by Frankie Dettori, defeated Woodcutter by three-quarters of a length as the 7-1 third betting choice in the field of nine. The winning time over soft turf was 2:08.99.
Favored King O'The Gipsies finished third, 2 3/4 lengths behind Woodcutter.
In the only other race of his short career, Meydan City, who is trained by Saeed Bin Suroor, was third in a one-mile event at Newmarket June 21.
Produced from the Seattle Slew mare Crown of Crimson, Meydan City was bred in Kentucky by Jayeff B Stables. John Ferguson, the bloodstock manager for Sheikh Mohammed ,purchased the bay colt from Burleson Farms, agent, at the 2006 Keeneland September yearling sale.
Meydan City’s price was a record for the September sale and it was the second-highest ever brought by a yearling at public auction.