Tonito M. earns first win outside Puerto Rico in Oklahoma Derby

Tonito M. earns first win outside Puerto Rico in Oklahoma

Derby

M. Racing Group's Tonito M. owned five prior U.S. mainland starts heading

into Sunday's Grade 3, $400,000

Oklahoma

Derby at Remington

Park, and finally got that elusive first continental victory by taking the

overland route.

Jockey Rafael Bejarano settled the bay sophomore just off the rail in midpack

as Louies Flower led the way through an opening half-mile in :23 1/5 and :47

2/5. Wildcat Red, the even-money favorite, was latched onto the pacesetter's

outside flank while Bay of Biscay took up a tracking position to the inside.

Tonito M. maintained his stalking spot while saving ground up until entering

the turn. As Wildcat Red came under a ride on the turn, Bejarano got busy aboard

Tonito M. and angled him to the outside. The Rock Hard Ten colt found himself

widest of all heading into the stretch, with Wildcat Red on his inside giving it

his best go and Bay of Biscay in command on the front end.

Tonito M. hit his best stride and sailed on past that duo, eventually

finishing 2 3/4 lengths in front of Bay of Biscay while stopping the clock in

1:50 2/5 for 1 1/8 miles over the fast main track. He returned $12.80 for the

win as the 5-1 third choice.

Bay of Biscay was game in defeat, holding second by 2 1/2 lengths over

Wildcat Red. It was another two lengths back to Louies Flower, with 5-1 second

favorite Charge Now following in fifth. For Goodness Sake, Ibaka, Street Prancer,

Away Game, Tulum, Even Echo, Edison, Rebranded and Declan's Fast Cat completed

the order of finish.

Tonito M. is now 13-7-2-2 lifetime and more than doubled his career earnings

to $444,538 with Sunday's score. The Jerry Hollendorfer pupil ran up a 6-1-0

mark from seven starts in Puerto Rico before shipping to the mainland over the

spring. He returned to action on May 10 at

Santa Anita Park and

finished second in the Lazaro Barrera before shipping cross-country to

Belmont Park for an

eighth-place effort in the June 7 Woody Stephens.

The bay colt traveled back to California for his next three -- a third in the

Los Alamitos Derby on

July 5, a fifth in the La Jolla Handicap at

Del Mar one month later and,

most recently, a third in the September 6 Los Alamitos Mile. He earned his

biggest career score to date in the Oklahoma Derby.

Bred in Kentucky by Hilbert Thoroughbreds Inc and Menard Thoroughbreds Inc.,

Tonito M. was a bargain when passing through the sales ring. He brought $4,500

as a Keeneland

November weanling and $12,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. He is the first

registered stakes winner out of the winning Dixieland Band mare Esther's Big

Band and counts as his third dam Grade 2 heroine Via Borghese, who is a

half-sister to Grade/Group 2 scorers El Angelo and Miswaki Tern.

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