Tocayo, who needed seven starts to break his maiden last season, and then in a $20,000 maiden claimer, continued his late blooming ways on Saturday when registering a 13-1 upset of the $125,000 Dania Beach S. at Gulfstream Park.
A 13-1 chance in a field of six three-year-olds, Tocayo was sent to the lead by jockey Jorge Ruiz, set modest fractions of :25.32, :50.08, and 1:13.77, and then found more in the stretch to handily defeat 1-2 favorite Agate Road by 1 1/2 lengths. Second choice Depiction was another 1 1/4 lengths behind in third.
A Maryland-bred racing for breeder Lugamo Racing Stable, Tocayo finished up one mile on firm turf in 1:36.37. Trained by Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon, Tocayo paid $29.80.
Following the aforementioned maiden win going a mile on dirt at Laurel in October, Tocayo was switched to the grass, over which he has made notable improvement. Beaten a neck first time on the surface when running for a $62,500 tag, Tocayo rebounded to win a similar spot at Laurel by one length while passing his first allowance condition.
Tocayo preceded this victory with an eighth-place finish in the Dec. 9 Pulpit S., in which he pressed the pace before weakening, though he was only beaten four lengths.
A son of 2017 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Always Dreaming, Tocayo was produced by Spooky Tooth, a daughter of Ghostzapper. This is the family of 2003 Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner Adoration.
Earlier in the card, a more formful result occurred when Ozara made it two stakes wins in a row at Gulfstream’s Championship Meet with a 2 1/4-length decision in the $125,000 Ginger Brew S. for three-year-old fillies.
Victorious by a neck in the Dec. 9 Wait a While S., Ozara shot through an opening at the rail in upper stretch and kicked clear to beat nine rivals in the Ginger Brew under Tyler Gaffalione. Life’s an Audible rallied to finish second by a head over Waskesiu, the 9-5 favorite.
“She broke alertly and I was able to tuck in and save some ground,” Gaffalione said. “She traveled beautiful in hand and when the spot opened, she quickened right through and finished the job well.”
Ozara, who races for Cheyenne Stable and is trained by Christophe Clement, covered one mile on the turf in 1:33.85. She paid $8 as the 3-1 second choice.
The Ginger Brew was the third win in five starts for Ozara, who kicked off her career with a 12-1 upset score in a key maiden at Saratoga last August. She preceded her two stakes wins with a fourth-place run in the Natalma (G1) at Woodbine and a second in the Chelsey Flower S. at Aqueduct.
Bred in Ireland by the Fleche d’Or Partnership, Ozara is by Lope de Vega and out of Cercle d’Or, an Acclamation half-sister to the 2015 Epsom Derby (G1) and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner Golden Horn.
