Aqueduct: Lostritto longshot strikes again

For the second straight week, a longshot trained by Joe Lostritto and ridden by Jose Espinoza won a stakes race for New York-breds at Aqueduct.

One week after Home and Away ($22.20) upset the East View for statebred juvenile fillies, Platinum Couple charged down the center of Aqueduct's inner track to run past favored Building New Era and win the $85,250 Damon Runyon Stakes for New York-bred juvenile colts and geldings by one length. Platinum Couple ($35), a son of Tale of the Cat owned by four of Lostritto's children who race as Team Tristar Stable, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.70.

"I left the house in the morning and I told my wife, 'Babe, we're going to hit the board,' " Lostritto said. "When we got to the track I said, 'Babe, we're going to win.' She said, 'You're sick.' I said, 'The horse is talking to me.' She said, 'I give up, there's something wrong with you. You're unbalanced.' "

Platinum Couple was reserved early before unleashing a strong stretch kick under Espinoza.

"The key with him is getting him to the outside," said Lostritto, whose stable is 9 for 118 this year.