GP west: Lady Lara, Lochte Win on a Rainy Saturday

Lady Lara and Lochte were the winners in Saturday's turf stakes  at the Gulfstream Park West meet.
Lady Lara took the lead in mid stretch and beat Hope Cross by 1 1/4 lengths in the $100,000 My Charmer (Grade 3) at 11/16 miles on turf.
Jose Lezcano rode Lady Lara, the 8-5 favorite, who won in 1:43.32 in a light  rain on the course listed as firm.
Sandiva finished third, a  nose behind Lady Lara.
The win was the second in two starts in Florida for Lady Lara who is trained by Bill Mott.  Last March 29, she beat Sandiva by a neck in the one mile Honey Fox (Grade 2) on the turf at Gulfstream Park.
A light rain was falling during the My Charmer, the fourth race.  
Rain soon turned heavy and the $100,000 Tropical Turf (Grade 3), the sixth race,  was run in a downpour. The course was still listed as firm.
Lochte, at 3-1, raced in third place most of the race. 
He began gaining ground coming around the turn and took the lead a furlong from the finish. He pulled away to win by four lengths over Flashlight.
Lochte won in 1:50.95--a slow time for stakes horses,  and it can attributed to the rain.
Matt Rispoli rode Lochte for trainer Marcus Vitali and owner Crossed Sabres Farm.
It was Lochte's third win in a row, all on turf  with Rispoli riding.
Lochte won the Mr. Steele at Gulfstream on Sept. 27 and the Spider John at Calder on Oct. 25.
--Jim Freer