Macho surprises Again in Jim Dandy
West Point Thoroughbreds' MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno) was well-beaten in two graded tries earlier this season and, because of this, was sent off at 6-1 in the Derby Trial S. at Churchill Downs on April 26. The Dallas Stewart charge rallied from near the back on that occasion to surprise in taking his first stakes win and returned next out to finish second in the Preakness S. (G1) at 39-1. On Saturday at Saratoga, jockey Julien Leparoux guided the gray to another startling finish, this time a half-length score at 8-1 odds in the $500,000 "When I won the Derby Trial and when I finished second in the Preakness, he was game and he was really good," Leparoux said. "He's not much different, he hasn't changed too much. He is still just a game horse. He tries all the time." Belmont S. (G1) winner Da' Tara (Tiznow) moved to the fore when the gates opened, posting the first quarter in :23 2/5, but was under pressure throughout from Mint Lane (Maria's Mon). The latter three-year-old moved past Da' Tara on the outside but couldn't shake his rival while setting splits of :46 4/5 and 1:11 4/5. That unrelenting pace took its toll on both colts, though, and they began backing up rounding the turn. That left the way clear for Macho Again, who still had to overcome a few obstacles along the way. Caught in traffic and waiting for room nearing the quarter pole, the sophomore angled out in upper stretch and started his run down the middle of the lane. He finally grabbed the lead but wasn't able to take a breather as 7-5 favorite Pyro (Pulpit) made up ground to his outside. The wire came just in time for Macho Again, who finished the 1 1/8-mile, good-track test in 1:51.
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"This is my first stakes win as a trainer at Saratoga, so I am very excited,"
Stewart admitted. "He's a good horse, but he needs to step up.
"The (August 23) Travers (G1) would be great if he comes out of this
good and everything is good," the conditioner added.
Macho Again rewarded his faithful backers with payouts of $18.40, $5.30 and
$3.40. Pyro held second by three-quarters of a length to give back $3.40 and
$2.90, ending the $49 exacta. Tiz Now Tiz Then (Tiznow), who led in the stretch
through a mile in 1:38, returned $4.70 and finished out the 7-4-1 trifecta that
was worth $292.50. Tale of Ekati (Tale of the Cat) loomed large at the head of
the stretch but faded to finish fourth, followed by Anak Nakal (Victory Gallop),
Mint Lane and Da' Tara. Alaazo (A.P. Indy) was withdrawn.
"That was a suicide mission," trainer Nick Zito said in regards to the run of
his trainee Da' Tara. "It didn't work. I don't know what that was all about."
Bred in Florida by Milan Kosanovich, Macho Again has more than paid back his
$150,000 OBS February purchase price, now showing a record of 11-4-3-0,
$673,761. The gray colt is the first stakes hero out of the winning Wild Again
mare Go Donna Go, who has since produced an unraced juvenile filly named Just
Ami (Exchange Rate).
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