Tonito M. Rallies to Win Oklahoma Derby

Tonito M. rallied wide off the final turn then pulled clear with an impressive 2-3/4 length score in the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sunday afternoon at Remington Park.

Owned by Mickey Gonzalez of M Racing Group LLC of San Juan, Puerto Rico and trained by National Racing Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, Tonito M. was ridden to victory by Rafael Bejarano. 

Relaxed just six lengths off the lead for the first half of the race, Tonito M. waited until midway through the final turn before accelerating for the front. Moving into the homestretch Bejarano angled his colt outside of three rivals for his big run to the finish where he covered the 1-1/8 miles in 1:50.41 over a fast track. 

“I had a very good trip. The horse broke really good. This time I tried to get him inside a little bit and get him to come from behind,” Bejarano said describing his race strategy and trip. “By the half-mile, I felt like I still had a lot of horse. I made sure to get him clear into the stretch and when we got to the stretch it was done and drew off.” 

Louies Flower, winner of the 2013 Springboard Mile at Remington Park, ran his biggest race since scoring the top 2-year-old stakes race. Under Luis Quinonez, Louies Flower was sent to the front from the start of the derby and he maintained the lead until the field went to the second turn when Bay Of Biscay moved inside of him to challenge. 

Wildcat Red, the even-money wagering favorite appeared poised to take over coming into the stretch with a three-wide advance but could not make the front. “I think he had a perfect trip,” said jockey Edgard Zayas. “They just ran him off and he didn’t have problems. He broke good out of the gate. He just got beat.” 

Tonito M. snared the lead with a furlong to run before pulling away at 5-1 odds, paying $12.80 to win, $6.60 to place and $4.60 to show. Bay Of Biscay was second at odds of 50-1 and paid $38.80 to place and $17.40 to show. Wildcat Red held on for third and paid $2.40 to show. Louies Flower faded to fourth after setting the early pace. 

The derby quarterly splits were :23.20 seconds for the opening quarter-mile; :47.49 seconds for the half-mile; 1:11.30 for three-quarters of a mile and 1:37.16 for one mile. 

The Oklahoma Derby win was the seventh from 13 career attempts for Tonito M., a Kentucky-bred colt by Rock Hard Ten from the Dixieland Band mare Esther’s Big Band. The 3-year-old was bred by Hilbert Thoroughbreds & Menard Thoroughbreds. 

The Oklahoma Derby win was the first for all the connections of Tonito M. who earned $240,000 to run his career total to $444.538. 

The victory by Tonito M. came in a field of 14 for the Oklahoma Derby, equaling the largest field for the race ever. It was the most to contest the derby since 1991 when Queen’s Gray Bee was the best in a 14-horse field. 

The Oklahoma Derby was the main event on a stakes-laden Sunday afternoon program, featuring many divisional events.