The Lightning City Stakes

$100,000 Lightning City Stakes

Fastest Time: 55.09 JEAN ELIZABETH (2020)

Slowest Time: 58.19 TALETOBETOLD (2009)

Longest Priced Winner: $63.40 DOUBLE SECRET (2015)

Shortest Priced Winner: $3.80 $3.80 WHENTHEDOVEFLIES TRAIN TO ARTEMUS (2005) (2023)

Closest Winning Margin: Nose SMARTYS EMPERORESS (2013)

Largest Winning Margin: 5 Lengths WHENTHEDOVEFLIES (2005)

Shortest Priced Loser: $.70 MADAME GIRY (2013)

Track Condition: Firm Good All except 2009 and 2015

Richest Purse: $ 100,000 2014-present

Other Notes: The victory by Train to Artemus was her third in a row and seventh from 12 lifetime starts. TTrainer Jane Cibelli’s classy Kentucky-bred Payntdembluesaway improved her career record to 9-for-15 with her 2022 victory. In 2021, Edward Plesa, Jr., the trainer of Miss Auramet, and his wife, co-owner Laurie Plesa, won the Lightning City for the second time in three seasons. In 2020, the 5-year-old mare Jean Elizabeth scored her seventh consecutive victory, all stakes, while setting a stakes record of 55.09 seconds for 5 furlongs. Miz Mayhem left Tampa Bay Downs in possession of her fourth stakes victory as a 3-year-old, winning the annual turf test for breeder-owner Laurie Plesa and trainer Edward Plesa, Jr. Her time of 55.37 seconds for the 5 furlongs on the grass was a stakes record. Although Daniel Centeno has won the Turf Dash six times, his victory on Smiling Causeway was his first in the Lightning City. Triple Chelsea, the 2016 winner, is the only 3-year-old to win the Lightning City Stakes. Richies Sweetheart’s 2015-2016 upset victory marked the third consecutive year the Lightning City winner was owned and trained by the same individual. Trainer Larry Rivelli owns the Illinois-bred mare in partnership with Richard Ravin and Patricia’s Hope, LLC (Vince Foglia). Double Secret, the 2015 winner, was owned and trained by Adolfo Exposito, who manages an eight-horse stable in the Ocala, Fla., area. Shrinking Violet (owned and trained by Wesley Ward), the 2014 winner, was a girl for all seasons and all racetracks. Her successful venture to Tampa Bay Downs for the Lightning City Stakes marked the 10th different track at which she had competed. Ward was an Eclipse Award winner as an apprentice jockey and is the son of Tampa Bay Downs trainer Dennis Ward. The 2013 winner, Smartys Emperoress, tied the stakes record in her Lightning City victory; in her only previous start at Tampa Bay Downs, she won a fivefurlong allowance/optional claiming turf race in 55.42 seconds. The 2011 winner, Jenny’s So Great, was bred by pop singing star David Cassidy, perhaps best known for playing Keith Partridge on “The Partridge Family.” Jenny’s So Great was the first betting favorite to win the race since Bucky’s Prayer at the end of the 2006-07 season. Suzzona, the 2010 winner, also captured stakes at Pimlico, Monmouth and Parx. Trainer Kirk Ziadie has won two editions of the Lightning City Stakes: in 2005 with Whenthedoveflies and in 2006 with Jewels N Gems, while jockey Dean Butler has won the race twice: on Richies Sweetheart in 2015 and on Game N Laughin’ in 2008. The purse for the Lightning City was increased from $75,000 to $100,000 for the 2014 renewal.