Mucho Del Oro holds off First Peace in Daytona Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - Mucho Del Oro gave jockey Kyle Frey a subtle sign that he was racing well within himself early in Sunday’s Grade 3 Daytona Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita.

Mucho Del Oro held the early lead, and when the field reached the slight right-handed turn more than a quarter-mile into the race at about 6 1/2 furlongs, Frey’s confidence increased.

“When he hit that turn, his ears went straight up,” Frey said.

Mucho Del Oro set solid fractions for the hillside course - 21.87 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.54 for a half-mile – but had sufficient energy left to hold off a late threat from 7-5 favorite First Peace, winning by a half-length.

“It was hot,” Frey said of the pace. “I knew I was going a bit quick, but he was very comfortable.”

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Mucho Del Oro ($24.80) was timed in 1:11.37 in the $102,000 Daytona and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 98.

First Peace closed from fifth, and finished a length in front of 9-2 Almendares. Mike Smith rode First Peace and thought briefly that his mount had the measure of Mucho Del Oro in the stretch.

“Sometimes, he’ll be aggressive early,” Smith said of First Peace. “Today, he was more relaxed. I thought that would be all right. The horse that won fired.”

Johnny Podres, who had won his three preceding starts on the hillside turf course, finished fourth, followed by Lane Way, Nineeleventurbo, Danie’s Magic, Whatmakessammyrun and Astronomer.

Mucho Del Oro, trained by Doug O’Neill for Janie Buss’s Purple Rein Racing, won his second Grade 3 race of the year in the Daytona. Mucho Del Oro won the Grade 3 San Simeon on the hillside turf course on March 9, but was fourth of five after encountering slight trouble in the Siren Lure Stakes on the hillside, finishing behind Johnny Podres, First Peace and Lane Way.

The win on Sunday was Mucho Del Oro’s 10th victory in 19 starts. He has earned $421,100.

Buss, who is part of the family that owns a majority of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, and O’Neill claimed Mucho Del Oro for $50,000 at Santa Anita last June.

Mucho Del Oro has since earned $146,000, all in four starts this year. Mucho Del Oro, a 6-year-old gelding by Mucho Macho Man, began the year with a nose loss in the restricted Clocker’s Corner Stakes on the hillside course on Jan. 28.

Frey rode Mucho Del Oro for the first time in the Daytona, taking over from Juan Hernandez, who rode Astronomer on Sunday.

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