|
Soto was bred by two of our owners, David Sugars and Bob Parker, by the speedy Averti. His dam Belle Of The Blues had shown nothing on the track in her two runs but went on to be a very successful broodmare and the dam of seven more winners. Her offspring had won 29 races between them as of June 2017. Soto was sent to Doncaster Sales in October 2004, where his owners bought him back for just 2,000 gns. It turned out to be a very good decision.
Soto was a dark bay gelding and showed speed from the start. In 2005 he won on his second racecourse outing on the all weather at Southwell. The same year Soto also had the distinction of running at 'Royal Ascot', without even leaving Yorkshire, when the Royal Ascot meeting was held on the Knavesmire due to refurbishment of the Berkshire course. He ran well and finished fifth in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes, beaten just five lengths.
Despite running consistently and being placed many times it was another year until he was a winner again, taking the valuable 'Betfred Poker Sprint Series Final Handicap' at Newcastle.
The following year he was a winner at Yarmouth, not a course often associated with the Easterby yard, over 6 furlongs. However, he remained winless in 2008 and 2009 despite picking up plenty of prizemoney for finishing in the places.
Soto's final career victory came at Catterick in June 2010, where he ran out a convincing winner of the 'Pen Hill Handicap'.
Throughout his career he always went well for jockey Paul Mulrennan, who rode him to all of his four victories. He always ran his race and finished runner up 13 times in a total of 73 races. Soto was retired in 2010, having won over £40,000 in prizemoney.
Soto was rehomed in Scotland in the care of Gemma, who describes Soto as 'one of the family' and he is a healthy happy horse in his 'forever home'.
Thank you to Gemma for the photographs.
|