The owners who race in the name of Royalight Racing may never experience a more costly finish than the one their 3-year-old First Dude filly, Charlie’s Wish, suffered yesterday in the $125,000 Gasparilla Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. 

    Aside from the guaranteed purse of $50,000, the race included a bonus of $50,000 – paid to the winner only – from the FTBOA, and another of $25,000 – paid to the winner only – from the Florida Sire Stakes. Charlie’s Wish finished second in the seven-furlong race in one of those photos that’s “too close to call,” losing both bonuses plus the $20,000 difference between first and second with the remaining money.  

  By a scant nose, Royalight Racing lost $95,000, earning only the $10,00 check for second place.

    In her fourth start, Charlie’s Wish boosted her record to 1-2-1 and her earnings to $51,820. She had previously finished second in the Juvenile Fillies Sprint Stakes at Gulfstream Park in October. In this one, at odds of 12-1, the filly bred by Three Gin Guys Stable was off seventh in a field of eight under Emisael Jaramillo, made a huge wide move on the turn, then closed five lengths in the stretch only to fall short of Opus Forty Two in the head bob. The seven furlongs went in 1:24.91.