Mocito Rojo Earns First Graded Win in Steve Sexton Mile
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Photo: Dustin Orona
Mocito Rojo and jockey Filemon Rodriguez take the Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park
Wayne Davis' Mocito Rojo earned his first graded win April 28 in the $300,000 Steve Sexton Mile Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds and up at Lone Star Park.
The 5-year-old son of Mutadda bred by Paul Van Doren and Andrena Van Doren was making his 22nd start. He has won 14 times while primarily racing in Louisiana for trainer Shane Wilson.
The one-mile race drew a field of 10. Leaving post 9, Mocito Rojo was caught wide on the first turn but settled midpack under jockey Filemon Rodriguez. Minister of Soul took the field through a quarter-mile in :23.84 and a half in :46.83, but just before the field hit the half-mile mark, Rodriguez moved Mocito Rojo into a closer spot on the front end.
Shortly after passing the halfway point, King Abner took over the lead followed by Mocito Rojo and led through six furlongs in 1:11.15. Straightening into the stretch run, King Abner held a short lead, but Mocito Rojo found enough to get by the leader and open up to win by two lengths. He completed the mile in 1:37.06.
The winner paid $12.40, $6.20, and $4, and King Abner returned $4.60 and $2.40. Title Ready, who raced in sixth throughout, got up for third to pay $2.60.
Mocito Rojo came into his graded stakes debut off a half-length win in the Owner Appreciation Cup Stakes at Delta Downs. He has only finished off the board four times in his career and has two wins and a second from three starts in 2019.
He is the second foal out of his dam, the unraced Orientate mare Blushing Royale. Mocito Rojo's stakes-winning sire is a son of Mutakddim and is a half sibling to two graded stakes winners and grade 1-placed Chile Chatte.