CHOCOLATITO WITH A SMOOTH, SWEET VICTORY IN THE FIRST DOWN DASH
Ed Allred’s Chocolatito completed his 2021 campaign on a high note, as the multiple Grade 1 winner enjoyed his first win of the year after outdueling talented runners Cattail Cove and Mental Error to win the Grade 3, $25,000 First Down Dash Handicap on Saturday night.
The 5-year-old gelding by Favorite Cartel took on the best of the best at Los Alamitos this season, finishing third behind stablemates Circle City and Nomadic in the Restricted Grade 1 Spencer Childers California Breeders Championship and fifth to Powerful Favorite in a star-studded field when looking to defend his stakes title in the Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship.
In the First Down Dash, Chocolatito showed that he will be a force to the reckoned with in 2022, as he broke nicely from post number two before powering late to win by a head with jockey Jesus Rios Ayala up for trainer Scott Willoughby. Chocolatito earned $13,750 for the win while scoring his 10th win in 25 starts. The Steven Burns-bred runner has now earned $318,828 in his career.
Link Newcomb’s Cattail Cove, who has also been a strong performer at the top level this year, finished second. Also sired by Favorite Cartel and from Burns’ great breeding stock, Cattail Cove was second in the California Breeders Sprint Stakes and third in the Go Man Go Handicap, both times chasing Burns’ talented You Can Run. Cattail Cove came into this race after a strong third in the Z. Wayne Griffin Directors Trials when facing eventual Champion of Champions winner Apollitical Pence. Ridden by Ramon Sanchez for trainer Juan Aleman, Cattail Cove earned $5,625 in this race. Bobby Simmons’ Mental Error finished third and was followed by Bail Czech and Mister Tornado.
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