Lochte gets allowance test before Breeders’ Cup Mile decision

MIAMI – Trainer Marcus Vitali said his Grade 1 winner Lochte could use Sunday’s $44,000 allowance feature at Gulfstream Park West as a springboard to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.

Lochte, the winner of the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap in February, will be heavily favored to beat six rivals going a mile here Sunday, the majority of whom he already defeated when rallying to a half-length victory in The Vid overnight stakes at Gulfstream Park four weeks earlier. The victory was the first for Lochte, a son of Medaglia d’Oro, since he slipped up the hedge to register a convincing 2 3/4-length decision over Imagining in the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap seven months earlier.

“He was a little off this summer at Monmouth; I don’t think he liked the course there,” said Vitali. “I ran him the last couple of times to see if I’ve got him back on track, and he’s doing well right now. I expect him to run another good race on Sunday. I have the Breeders’ Cup Mile in the back of my mind. If he were to run well again, I’ll discuss it with my owners and then make a decision whether to go out there or not.”

Dreams Cut Short, who finished best of all to be second, just a half-length behind Lochte, in The Vid, will take another shot at the favorite Sunday. Dreams Cut Short was claimed for a bargain $25,000 at Churchill Downs in May.

Lochte also could face a stern test from Rose Brier, who brings a three-race win streak into the main event for trainer Jane Cibelli. Rose Brier, a winner of 5 of 7 starts this season, also registered a pair of victories over the Gulfstream Park turf course this winter.

Dashing David, No Lift Shift, Mellow Fellow, and Heiko, fourth, sixth, eighth, and ninth in The Vid, complete the field. Kings Over and Palatine Hill have been entered for the main track only.

Vitali has been on a torrid streak of late. He has already won six races this month, including four during the first two days of the Gulfstream Park West meet. Three of those victories came Thursday with Justa Little Evil, Allstar, and Karate Jack, all with his go-to rider, Orlando Bocachica, aboard. Bocachica is also the regular rider for Lochte.

White Wabbit on a roll

White Wabbit Wacing Stable has returned in full force to south Florida for the winter after dominating the owners’ standings at the recently concluded Monmouth Park meeting. White Wabbit won 24 races this summer at Monmouth while under the tutelage of Jorge Navarro, who completed the session atop the trainers’ standings with 43 victories.

White Wabbit currently has almost three dozen horses stabled in the area, the majority with Navarro at Gulfstream Park West, the remainder with Aubrey Maragh at Gulfstream. The stable plans to upgrade its stock and increase its numbers through the claim box over the next couple of months, with the goal of vying for the coveted owners’ title at the upcoming Gulfstream championship meet, which opens Dec. 6.

Wagering glitch fixed

Officials for The Stronach Group have worked out a glitch in the system that made it difficult for some bettors at simulcast facilities to wager on races run at Gulfstream Park West during the opening two days of the meet. The problem occurred due to a technicality involving the designation of certain races as separate betting programs under a mandate set down by the state regarding the number of total racing dates to be run at the meet in the lease agreement signed between The Stronach Group and Churchill Downs Inc. this summer.

◗ Stronach officials said the takeout on the Gulfstream Park West races will be the same throughout the meet as the takeout on the live races run at Gulfstream Park, and not the higher takeout that had been previously in effect at Calder Race Course.