Mocito Rojo proves best in Steve Sexton Mile

Mocito Rojo gave trainer Shane Wilson and jockey Filemon Rodriguez the biggest win of their careers Sunday, catching King Abner in the stretch to capture the Grade 3, $300,000 Steve Sexton Mile at Lone Star Park.

Mocito Rojo was a two-length winner of the meet’s richest race, while King Abner finished three-quarters of a length in front of third-place Title Ready.

Mocito Rojo ($12.40), a $10,000 claim out of his career debut in December 2016, picked up his first graded victory in the Steve Sexton Mile. He was content to settle in fifth as Minister of Soul put up fractions of 23.84 seconds for the opening quarter and 46.83 for the half-mile before a tracking King Abner took over and proceeded to cover six furlongs in 1:11.15.

Mocito Rojo advanced three wide on the final turn and in the stretch took after King Abner, pushing past that one and going on to cover the mile on a fast track in 1:37.06.

“Talking to Shane, [we planned] to sit off the pace, save the horse for the last quarter,” Rodriguez said. “I had a lot of horse down the lane, a lot of horse.”

Mocito Rojo races for Wayne T. Davis. The connections decided to try a graded stakes after strong performances in a number of races, including wins in the $100,000 Evangeline Mile last June, the $75,000 Delta Downs Mile in November, and the $60,000 Owner Appreciation Cup in his last start March 9 at Delta.

“He stepped it up and did it like we hoped he would,” Wilson said.

Wilson started his racing career in high school as a hotwalker in the summers for Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg at Louisiana Downs. Wilson spent seven years working for trainer Sam David Jr. and was with the outfit when Blushing K.D. won the Kentucky Oaks in 1997. Wilson launched his own training career the next season, and his first win came in a stakes, when Fullasatick captured the $25,000 Jiffy Lube at Sam Houston. An opportunity to train for multiple Eclipse Award winner John Franks followed a few years later, but the oilman died in 2004.

Rodriguez won his first race in 1991 and overall has won more than 880 races in North America for $13 million in mount earnings, according to records from Daily Racing Form. The jockey and trainer are both based in Louisiana.

Mocito Rojo is a 5-year-old son of Mutadda. He earned $165,000 for the win. Overall, the horse is 14 for 22 for career earnings of $484,750.