Lochte Triumphs in Tampa Bay Thriller

Lochte returned to his winning ways when fending off late-running Old Time Hockey and favored Sky Flight in a Tampa Bay Stakes (gr. IIIT) thriller on the turf Jan. 24 .



Crossed Sabres Farm's determined 5-year-old gelding by Medaglia d'Oro   registered his first graded stakes win since taking the Gulfstream Park Handicap (gr. IT) in a 39-1 shocker nearly one year ago.



Paco Lopez, replacing the injured Orlando Bocachica, was aboard Lochte for the first time for trainer Marcus Vitali.



Making his debut at Tampa Bay Downs as the 4-1 second choice in the field of 12, Lochte ran the 1 1/16-mile distance in 1:41.63 over a course rated good while defeating 24-1 shot Old Time Hockey by a head. Sky Flight, the 6-5 choice, finished a neck farther back in third.

"I had never been on the horse before, but I knew he would be able to go along with whatever pace developed," Lopez said.



"They told me he was doing very well and to ride him the way I thought best. We got a good setup behind the leaders and they were really going along, so I was able to wait until the final turn. We found a space and he really turned it on in the stretch."



Super Soldier, pushed along by Sky Flight and others, set the pace while Lochte was placed mid-pack on the outside. Fractions were :23.59, :47.34 and 1:11.47 before Sky Flight and Lochte advanced on the outside of Super Soldier entering the stretch.



Sky Flight, ridden by Julien Leparoux, took a narrow edge in the drive on the inside of Lochte, who closed relentlessly to get the advantage in deep stretch. Old Time Hockey, rallying from sixth on the outside for jockey Ronnie Allen Jr. at midstretch, came flying late. But the wire came up just in time for Lochte, who prevailed gamely from between horses under urging from Lopez.

"He ran a really good race," Allen said. "He relaxed for me the way he does, but we got in a little tight going into the final turn and I had to wait. When we got to the outside in the stretch, I thought we might win it."



Coming off a fifth in the Fort Lauderdale Stakes (gr. IIT) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 10, Lochte improved his career line to 5-4-5 in 21 starts with earnings of $548,572. He is now 4-for-7 at the 1 1/16-mile trip.

"We were in a little traffic and I was hoping Paco would hang on until something opened up," Vitali said by phone from Gulfstream. "The horse did the rest. He is just coming back into form (after an up-and-down summer), and we're real happy with him."



Out of the stakes winner Lemon Kiss, by Lemon Drop Kid  , Lochte was bred in Kentucky by Maura Gittens. From the family of 1991 Horse of the Year Black Tie Affair, he was a $475,000 yearling purchase by Anthony Stroud, who snagged him out of the Darby Dan Farm, agent, consignment at the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select sale. He made his first five starts for Darley Stable before Carolyn Vogel's Crossed Sabres Farm acquired him.



Lochte paid $10.20, $5.20, and $3.60 across the board, topping a $184,60 exacta with the surprising Old Time Hockey, who returned $14.20 and $7.40. Lightly raced 4-year-old Sky Flight, whose three-race winning streak came to an end for trainer Mark Casse, paid $3 to show.



Rose Brier finished fourth, followed by Rerun, Margano, defending Tampa Bay Stakes winner Guys Reward, One Touch, Allie's Event, Super Soldier, Tricky Hat, and Hobo Ridge. Also-eligibles Dramedy and War Correspondent scratched.

In the $100,000 Pelican Stakes for older horses at six furlongs on the main track, 7-year-old Star Harbour and jockey Geovany Garcia led from start to finish but barely held on to defeat a charging Helooksthepart and Rosemary Homeister Jr., by a nose in 1:10.78 for the distance . Star Harbour paid $23.60 to win. Risk Factor was 2 1/2 lengths back in third, followed by Good Lord.



Star Harbour is owned by the family partnership of Billy, Donna, and Justin Hays, and trained by Joe Woodard.



And in the $100,000 Lightning City Stakes for older fillies and mares at five furlongs on the turf, 4-year-old filly Double Secret and jockey Augusto Marin pulled off the biggest shocker of the day, going gate-to-wire to defeat fellow longshot You Bought Her by 3 3/4 lengths in :56.64 .



Double Secret, who paid $63.40 to win, is a Florida-bred owned and trained by Adolfo Exposito, who manages an eight-horse stable.