Mtoto, a two-time champion in England and a champion in France, has died at the age of 28 at Aston Upthorpe Stud. The son of Busted stood 17 seasons at the English farm.
Racing for Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Mtoto excelled at lengthy distances and enjoyed his greatest success as he got older. At 4 in 1987 his wins included scores in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes (Eng-I) over that year’s Ever Ready Epsom Derby (Eng-I) winner Reference Point and in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes (Eng-II).
As a 5-year-old, Mtoto captured another Coral-Eclipse and another Prince of Wales’s and also won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes (Eng-I) and the Select Stakes (Eng-III). He closed out his career with a runner-up effort to Tony Bin, beaten a neck, in the Ciga Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I). He was retired with eight wins from 17 starts and earnings of $1,490,078.
Mtoto’s runners also took a liking to distance racing. Celeric won the 1997 Gold Cup Stakes (Eng-I) at 2 1/2 miles at Royal Ascot and was named Cartier champion stayer. Shaamit, an English champion, took the 1996 Epsom Derby and ran third in that year’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond. Presenting, an English group II winner, ran third in the 1995 Epsom Derby.
Mtoto’s resume also included a top sprinter. A daughter, Serious Attitude, who won the 32red.com Cheveley Park Stakes (Eng-I) at 2, took the 2010 Nearctic Stakes (Can-IT) at six furlongs at Woodbine.
Bred in Great Britain by John L. Moore, Mtoto was produced from the Mincio mare Amazer.