Toasted takes La Puente

ARCADIA, Calif. - Toasted, once considered an outside candidate for the Kentucky Derby, scored an upset in Saturday's $110,500 La Puente Stakes on turf at Santa Anita.

The third longest shot in the field of nine 3-year-olds, Toasted ($53.20) rallied from last in the final half-mile, finishing 1 1-4 lengths in front of Erewhon.

Seattle Borders, who led in the final furlong, finished third, 1 3-4 lengths behind Toasted. Terroplane, the 2-1 favorite, finished fourth.

Ridden by Goncalino Almeida, Toasted ran a mile on turf in 1:34.18. Trained by Laura de Seroux for Sidney Port, Toasted finished eighth in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita on March 14, a prep to the Kentucky Derby.

In France last year, Toasted finished third in a listed stakes and won twice.

De Seroux said Toasted would stay on turf "because of his relaxed style and his turn of foot. He's not a robust horse and he moves over the turf nicely."