Incoming Yarradale Stud sire City Place (USA) can celebrate his arrival in Western Australia with a Group 1 winner at Arlington this Saturday, August 16.

His top-class five year-old La Tia has been entered for the $750,000 Beverly D. Stakes (1900m) on turf against the best North American mares in training.

La Tia (5m City Place – La Adelita by Sky Classic) is racing in the best form of her career after a six-length victory in the G3 Ontario Matron Stakes (1700m) at Woodbine a fortnight ago.  "She's feeling really good," trainer Armando De La Cerda said.  "She almost broke the track record the other day and did it easy.”

La Tia is a favourite with local racegoers after Group 3 victories in the 2012 Arlington Oaks and 2014 Arlington Matron Stakes.

A charismatic dark bay mare with an attractive blaze, she is easy to spot in the paddock and even more so on the racetrack, as she loves to run on the front end.  With a rapid cruising rate, she ran a deceptively good fifth in last year's Beverly D. under Kent Desormeaux - losing third in a tight photo.

“She's back here at Arlington and is in great shape,” De La Cerda explained.  “She's a better filly now compared to last year.”

The Illinois-bred mare is one of 8 stakes winner by City Place who boasts an 82% winning strike-rate in North America – he has sired 138 individual winners from 169 starters.

City Place is a son of champion sire Storm Cat and Group 1 winning champion Glitter Woman.  He will stand for an $8,800 (inc gst) fee at Yarradale Stud this year.

LA TIA