Trainer Marcus Vitali (Lochte):“It’s like they say in football after you win the Super Bowl, ‘I want to go to Disneyland.’ I talked it over with the owner and we were taking our chance here. His numbers were going up and up. Myself and my staff, we all felt really comfortable with the horse’s progress. The breeding shows he can get the job done. I didn’t see any reason why he couldn’t accomplish great things. I didn’t go into this expecting to come out on top but I surely hoped I would. Everything unfolded the right way, and here we are.”

Trainer Shug McGaughey (Imagining): “Turning for home, we were right there. There was a hole, and the horse (Lochte) just spurted through there. I’m very pleased with the way my horse ran.”

Trainer Bill Mott (Amira's Prince): He just didn’t quicken with them. He got a little anxious. First time out, he got a little anxious.”

Jockey Orlando Bocachica (Lochte): "It feels great. I love it. I think I'm actually shocked. I didn't know today would be the day in such a stake. Before the turn, I knew I still had some horse (under me). Vitali told me he was a really nice horse. I was just waiting and waiting to have the room. When I had the room to ask him, he was there for me. He just ran his race. He (Lochte) was nice to me. He never had any trouble, and I never had to check him. He was in the right spot and I was just waiting to have the clear and the moment for him to run his race.

"I think he's my new favorite horse."

This was the first Grade I victory for trainer Marcus Vitali and jockey Orlando Bocachica