LOS ALAMITOS, CA—AUGUST 4, 2019—Ed Allred’s Chocolatito improved to a perfect three for three in 2019 after posting the fastest qualifying time to the Grade 2, $211,100 Golden State Derby on Sunday at Los Alamitos.

Ridden by Vinnie Bednar for trainer Scott Willoughby, Chocolatito won the first of two trials at 400 yards, covering the 400 yards in :19.698. The Favorite Cartel gelding had previously won the Dillingham Handicap by 1 ½ lengths and an allowance race in sophomore debut by two lengths. He won one of three starts during his lightly raced freshman season.

In his derby trial, Chocolatito led every step of the way in route to a ¾ length victory over La Primera Del Año Derby winner Terrific First Down. Awaiting the start of the race, Chocolatito showed his coolness by remaining focus on the task after KR Hi Five broke through the gates prior to the beginning of the race.

"He actually sat pretty chilly," Bednar said of Chocolatito. "I really thought he was going to pop on through there because he was so ready to go in the gate. When the other horse pop through there, he sat there real nicely and luckily he still broke nicely after all that. If makes you a little nervous when you are on good horse like him because you want everything to go right. He’s an old pro. He knows what to do. I’m just happy to be riding him."

Chocolatito will headline the Golden State Derby final, which will be contested at Los Alamitos on Sunday, August 18. Last year’s derby final was won by Jesstacartel, who then scored a victory in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Super Derby, posted a second place finish in the Grade 1 Champion of Champions, and would eventually be named the 2018 Pacific Coast Quarter Horse of the Year. The connections of Chocolatito wouldn’t mind that kind of success in 2019.

"Scott has a plan for (Chocolatito)," Bednar added. "We know what we want to do with him and he’s showing up."

Dr. Steve Burns bred Chocolatito, whose dam Enjoy The Walk qualified to four derbies and won the Matron Stakes during her racing career. Allred purchased Chocolatito for $50,000 at the 2017 Los Alamitos Equine Sale. Dr. Burns is the nation’s second leading breeder in wins and third in earnings. He bred the top three finishers in the Governor’s Cup Futurity held on July 27.

Richard Frandsen’s homebred Favorite Motion cruised to a daylight win in the second Golden State Derby trial. Ridden by Cruz Mendez for trainer Jose Flores, the Utah-bred son of top stallion Favorite Cartel and out the mare Mia Ta Fame covered the distance in the third fastest qualifying time of :19.806.

"He didn’t break really well," said Frandsen. "He didn’t fire so much early on. We were a little disappointed in his time at first, but we don’t care we’re in the final and that’s the main thing. We brought him along slow after he had a little chip problem. We took him slow. He’s bigger and stronger and we feel really good about him."

Favorite Motion lugged in early and was fifth at the start, but once he put it all together he dominated the rest of the way. A winner in both of his starts in 2019, Favorite Motion has won four of his seven career outings. He finished fourth in last year’s Grade 1 Golden State Million Futurity.

EG High Desert Farms’ homebred Golden Boy Gonza finished second with the seventh fastest time of :19.950. Tequila Sangria, one of the favorites to shine going into this trial, became fractious in the gate and was scratched before the start. Hez Jess A Secret, who stumbled to the ground and lost his rider at the start of the first trial, was doing fine back in the barn of trainer Roman Figueroa following the incident.

For a complete list of the Golden State Derby qualifiers, times, sires, dams, owners, breeder's trainers and jockeys CLICK HERE.

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Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.