Latta, a 4-year-old colt based in Pennsylvania, has been surprising trainer Jacinto Solis in all the right ways. After an eye-popping 10 1/4-length victory in an allowance at Parx Racing on March 12, Solis must now figure out the next step for a colt that has suddenly become one of the hottest runners in the state. Solis didn’t think much of Latta when he first saw him. In October, the trainer traveled to Keeneland with his son, fellow horseman Angel Solis. The two came to an agreement: They would each pick a horse out of the same $20,000 maiden-claiming race and bring them back to Parx. Jacinto chose D Day, a gelding who has only recouped some of his claiming price for the trainer. Angel chose Latta, who improved instantly to win a maiden special weight eight days later at Parx. Latta was still puzzling his trainer right up to his 2025 debut, as he never seemed to display much form during workouts. Solis figured he could sharpen the horse through competition over the course of the season. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. “I told my son that I thought we were going to need a race, because he’s been off three months without a run,” Solis said. “My son said no, he thought he was going to run with class. He was right.” In his first start in more than three months, Latta made a furious bid on the rail and never stopped, earning a 95 Beyer Speed Figure. Solis said that he wants Latta to make another local start to establish the colt’s true ability. If he delivers again, the trainer said that he would consider shipping him to races in New York. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.