Printer Friendly Page 

Mucho Macho Man bypassing Dubai in favor of Big 'Cap

Mucho Macho Man's connections have opted to keep their star runner stateside (Adam Coglianese Photography) Four months after his victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic, Mucho Macho Man will be returning to Santa Anita for his next start. Following Mucho Macho Man's blazing five-furlong work Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park, trainer Kathy Ritvo and Finn Green, racing manager for owners Dean and Patti Reeves, said the six-year-old son of Macho Uno will run in the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 8. "There were some great opportunities for him, but the horse is telling us he's getting ready now," Ritvo said. "We thought long and hard about where to go, and we have to do what we feel is best for the horse. I think he'd run well wherever he went. We know about going to Santa Anita now, so it's nice to go back." In addition to the Santa Anita Handicap, Mucho Macho Man was also being considered for the $10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse on March 29. Runner-up in the 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic, the Florida-bred horse won the Grade 1 Awesome Again at Santa Anita in his start prior to last year's Breeders' Cup. "The people in Dubai have been very kind and professional," Green said. "We examined our options over a long period of time, and feel it's the best thing for the horse to stay here and go to Santa Anita.

"It came down to what it's always been with Kathy and I and what we feel was best for the horse. With a horse like him, you have to look at all of your options. At this stage in his career, there's business considerations that you have to examine. The business considerations came out that it's best to keep the horse here."

Under regular exercise rider Nick Petro, Mucho Macho Man was clocked :58 for five furlongs, galloping out six-eighths in 1:10 3/5 over a fast main track. It was his second work since a dominant 14-length victory in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream on January 18 to kick off his 2014 campaign.

"He did it nice and easy, too," Ritvo said. "The track was fast, but he just did it easy. He's a happy horse. He's just doing really, really well right now."

Mucho Macho Man has earned $5,580,410 from a 24-9-5-6 career mark.

The Santa Anita Handicap is expected to feature a rematch of Mucho Macho Man and Will Take Charge, who finished second by a nose in the Breeders' Cup Classic. The 2013 champion three-year-old male, Will Take Charge exits a commendable second in his 2014 bow, last Sunday's Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream.

Game On Dude, winner of the 2011 and 2013 editions of the 1 1/4-mile Big 'Cap, is also targeting the race.

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com

More Racing Headlines:

Miss Temple City earns hard-fought victory in Matriarch

Annals of Time captures first stakes win in Hollywood Derby

Penn Derby upgraded to Grade 1 for 2017

Miss Temple City headlines Del Mar's closing-day Matriarch

Trio of graded stakes on tap Saturday

Send this article to a friend