Mucino leads all the way in Humboldt Marathon

Mucino kept going in Sunday’s $51,350 Humboldt County Marathon Handicap in Ferndale, Calif.

In his stakes debut, albeit in a minor event, Mucino was sent to the front shortly after the start by jockey Cerapio Figueroa and led throughout the unique race at 1 5/8 miles on the half-mile track.

The Humboldt County Marathon, the feature race on the final day of the Northern California track’s three-week meeting, was by far the longest race for Mucino in his 17th start. A 4-year-old gelding, Mucino was second in a starter allowance at a mile at Del Mar on July 20 in his preceding start, some 730 miles to the south.

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Mucino races for Mercado Racing LLC and is trained by Doug O’Neill, who became the first trainer to win the Humboldt County Marathon and the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic in the same summer. O’Neill’s Mixto, a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 2, won the Pacific Classic on Aug. 31.

Sent off favored in the Humboldt County Marathon, Mucino ($4.60) was timed in 2:56.65 and finished 1 ¼1/4 lengths in front of 5-2 Druidic, who stalked the pace throughout. Honos Man, who won the 2021 Humboldt County Marathon, closed from last to finish third at 9-2, beaten 5 1/4 lengths.

Lord Wimborne, who won the 2023 Humboldt County Marathon, finished fourth, while Mount Pelliar, the 2022 winner, finished last of eight.

Mucino, by Nyquist, has won twice and earned $144,190.

The Northern California fair circuits moves to Fresno for a five-week meeting beginning on Friday.

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