Chocolatito can make statement in Moonist Stakes

Chocolatito went from being one of the nation’s leading older Quarter Horses of 2020 to a supporting player in important stakes in 2021.

His role for 2022 may be better defined after Sunday’s $35,000 Moonist Stakes at 400 yards at Los Alamitos.

Chocolatito, 6, is the likely favorite in a field of seven in a race that leads to more important stakes such as the Vessels Maturity, which has time trials on June 11 and a final on July 3. Chocolatito won the 2020 Vessels Maturity and the Los Alamitos Championship that fall.

Last year, Chocolatito’s only win in six starts was the $25,000 First Down Dash Handicap at 400 yards in December. The Moonist Stakes will be Chocolatito’s first start of 2022. The gelding has won 10 of 25 starts for owner and breeder Ed Allred and trainer Scott Willoughby.

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The field for the Moonist drew four runners from the Brad McKinzie Los Alamitos Winter Championship on Feb. 20 – Cattail Cove (fourth), Stolen Lives (sixth), Mister Tornado (seventh), and Just a Dasha Hero (10th). The Winter Championship was the track’s first major race of the year for older horses.

Cattail Cove finished second by a head to Chocolatito in the First Down Dash Handicap.

The Moonist Stakes is the last of nine races on Sunday.

In the preceding race, Allred and Willoughby start the highly regarded London Toby in an allowance race at 330 yards. Allred, who owns Los Alamitos, said last year that London Toby is one of the most talented horses he has raised in a 50-year involvement in the sport.

London Toby was ill last year, which limited the gelding to two starts in 2021. A 4-year-old gelding, London Toby has won 2 of 4 starts.