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Road To The Florida Derby: Mucho Macho Man Stakes Draws 19 Nominations

The $100,000 Mucho Macho Man, the first stakes on the Road to the Curlin Florida Derby (G1), will be the headliner of six stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds scheduled for the Jan. 1 New Year's Day program at Gulfstream Park.

The mile stakes named in honor of the Gulfstream Park-based winner of the 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic attracted 19 nominations, including the Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained trio of White Abarrio, A.P.'s Secret and Skippylongstocking. C2 Racing Stable LLC and La Milagrosa Stable LLC's White Abarrio finished third in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill Downs after winning his first two career starts impressively at Gulfstream. Gentry Farms' A.P.'s Secret has run twice at Gulfstream, winning his debut by four lengths before finishing second in an optional claiming allowance. Daniel Alonso's Skippylongstocking finished a nose behind A.P.'s Secret in the Dec. 5 optional claiming allowance.

Miracle's International Trading Inc.'s Strike Hard, who defeated both A.P.'s Secret and Skippylongstocking in his most recent start, is being pointed to the Mucho Macho Man by trainer Matthew Williams. The son of Flashback has previously finished second behind White Abarrio October 29 at Gulfstream.

Robert and Lawana Low's My Prankster, trained by 19-time Championship Meet titlist Todd Pletcher, is prominent on the list of nominations. The son of Into Mischief broke his maiden at Saratoga by 10 lengths before finishing fourth in the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont, second in the Bowman Mill at Keeneland, and winning a Dec. 10 optional claiming allowance.

Cheyenne Stables LLC's Cooke Creek is also a prominent nominee on the strength of a runner-up finish in the Nov. 7 Nashua (G3) at Aqueduct and a previous stakes victory at Delaware Park for trainer Michael Trombetta.

The Mucho Macho Man will be followed by the $250,000 Holy Bull (G3) on Feb. 5 and the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) leading up to the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) April 2.

The $100,000 Cash Run, a mile event for 3-year-old fillies, attracted 15 nominations, including David Bernsen and Schroeder Farm LLC's Cairo Remedies, runner-up in the Starlet (G1) at Los Alamitos last time out.

Westerberg Limited, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier's Sweet as Pie, who finished fourth in the Tempted after winning her debut at Belmont, is one of two fillies trained by Pletcher on the Cash Run noms list. The Hall of Fame trainer is also represented by Red Oak Stable's Goddess of Fire, a debut winner at Saratoga who finished third in the Pocahontas (G3) at Churchill Downs and fifth in the Tempted.

Diamond 100 Racing Club LLC, Amy Dunne and Patrick Biancone Racing LLC's Diamond Wow, who finished second by a head in the Jessamine (G2)on turf at Keeneland after winning the Our Dear Peggy on dirt at Gulfstream, and Westlake Racing Stable's Miss Mattie B., a recent maiden winner on turf at Santa Anita, are both nominated to the Cash Run, as well as the $100,000 Ginger Brew, a mile turf race for sophomore fillies.

The Ginger Brew drew 16 nominations. Cairo Memories is also nominated for both the Cash Run and Ginger Brew.

The $100,000 Dania Beach, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds, received 20 nominations, including Klaravich Stables Inc.'s Unanimous Consent, a British-bred colt who has been unraced since debuting at Monmouth in September with a dominating triumph. D J Stable LLC's Massetto, a Group 2-placed finish in Europe who finished fourth in her U.S. debut in Kentucky Downs' Juvenile Filly Sprint; and Whisper Hill Farms' Grand Sonata, a sharp maiden winner at Keeneland before encountering a trouble trip in the Nov. 27 Central Park at Aqueduct; are also prominent nominees.

The $100,000 Limehouse, a six-furlong sprint, attracted 16 nominations, while the $100,000 Glitter Woman, a six-furlong sprint for fillies, drew 18 nominations.

Three stakes for 3-year-olds and up are also scheduled Friday, Dec. 31 – the $100,000 Abundantia, a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares, the $100,000 Janus, a five-furlong turf sprint, and the $100,000 Via Borghese, a 1 3/8-mile turf race for fillies and mares.

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Triple Crown Weekend Prep Report Card: Life Is Good, Not Great, So Far

As we moved into the first weekend of 2021 (anyone sorry to leave 2020 behind?), there were three races that can be looked upon as early-season preps for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby that is scheduled to be run on May 1.

Only one of the three preps – Saturday's Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita – was graded, and two of the races – the Sham and the Jerome at Aqueduct – received a total of 17 qualifying points for the Derby on a 10-4-2-1 basis for the top four finishers.

The third contest, the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park, was neither graded nor an official points race, but it is the first leg of the South Florida track's road to the G1 Florida Derby, which has become the major East Coast prep for the Kentucky Derby.

Here is my first report card on the major Triple Crown prep races of 2021. Grades are entirely subjective and based on my personal “eyeball test,” Beyer Speed Figures, historical significance of the race, and perceived quality of the fields. Please keep this caveat in mind: I am not particularly easy on my “grading curve” and am not easily impressed.

Jan. 1: Jerome Stakes, one mile, Aqueduct

Capo Kane is a California-bred colt by Street Sense who handily defeated a pair of New York-bred stakes winners and two other maiden winners in a race that has had no historical impact on the Kentucky Derby since moving to early January at Aqueduct in 2011. Trained by Parx-based Harold Wyner, Capo Kane eased to the front shortly after the start under Dylan Davis, went quarter miles in :23.53, :24.30, and :24.79 for the first six furlongs in the one-turn mile before running his final quarter mile in :25.40 to win by 6 1/4 lengths. He was coming off a similar front-running score at Parx on Nov. 25 when he beat maidens by 4 1/2 lengths, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 73. He was given a Beyer of 84 in the Jerome.

Visually, Capo Kane looked OK, racing comfortably on the lead, but then drifted out in the stretch, probably more a matter of losing his focus more than anything else. He was the fourth betting choice in a five-horse field, with 7-5 favorite Swill chucking it in after prompting the early pace. Weak field in a historically weak race.

Grade: C-

Jan. 2: Mucho Macho Man Stakes, one mile, Gulfstream Park

Mutasaabeq was made the 11-10 favorite in this one-turn mile stakes at Gulfstream Park in his return to the dirt after two turf races, including an impressive last-to-first victory in the G2 Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland. He then finished 10th in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, the Into Mischief colt was purchased by Shadwell as a weanling for $425,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and won his debut on dirt at Saratoga Aug. 8 as a well-intentioned 4-5 favorite. Next out he was third of seven runners in the G1 Hopeful on dirt, then shifted to turf for his next two starts.

Nine horses broke from the gate in the Mucho Macho Man, including two other stakes winners: Pickin' Time, winner of the G3 Nashua Nov. 8 at Aqueduct; and Big Thorn, who won a Florida-bred event at Gulfstream Nov. 22.

Unlike the Bourbon Stakes, where Mutasaabeq displayed a brilliant turn of foot from the three-eighths pole to the furlong marker to gain the advantage and draw off by 2 1/4 lengths, he was more of a grinder in the Mucho Macho Man.

Under Luis Saez, Mutasaabeq was kept in the clear to the outside of pacesetter Awesome Gerry in the long run down the backstretch. He engaged the leader on the turn for home under aggressive handling from Luis Saez and was kept to his task down the stretch to win off by 1 1/2 lengths. Papetu, a 20-1 outsider who hadn't raced since running fifth in the aforementioned Hopeful, kept Mutasaabeq honest down the lane, ultimately finishing 1 1/21 lengths back.

Final time was 1:35.98, with quarter-mile fractions of :23.70, :22.45, :23.81 and :26.02. The Beyer Speed Figure team gave Mutasaabeq an 87 for the effort, three points above his maiden-breaking effort at Saratoga last August.

Grade: C

Jan. 2: Sham Stakes, one mile, Santa Anita

There was a lot of hype here. The Sham Stakes has had some very good winners in the past (Colonel John, Tapizar, Goldencents, McKinzie), but Authentic put the race on the map in 2020 when he won by 7 3/4 lengths despite nearly going over the rail while goofing off down the stretch. The Into Mischief colt went on to win the G2 San Felipe, G1 Haskell, G1 Kentucky Derby, and G1 Breeders' Cup Classic for trainer Bob Baffert and is the Horse of the Year favorite.

Authentic earned a 90 Beyer Speed Figure in the 2020 Sham off a maiden win sprinting at Del Mar.

Life Is Good, like Authentic a son of Spendthrift Farm's leading stallion Into Mischief, earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure while breaking his maiden for Baffert in a Del Mar sprint on Nov. 22, drawing off by 9 1/2 lengths. Bred by Mary and Gary West Stable, Inc., he was purchased for $525,000 as a yearling at the Keeneland September Sale.

It's not surprising for Baffert to have the favorite in a graded stakes for horses being pointed toward the Kentucky Derby, but the debut of Life Is Good had the aura of a horse that was something special. He did not disappoint that day.

In the days leading up to the Swaps, Baffert downplayed Life Is Good's superiority, saying you never know if a horse can stretch out from sprint distances to two turns until they try it. Nevertheless, he went off the 1-5 favorite in a five-horse field that didn't include a single stakes winner. Second choice was Parnelli, a John Shirreffs-trained colt who needed four starts to break his maiden, earning a 79 Beyer for his win. Third choice was a second Baffert runner, Medina Spirit, a Florida-bred son of Protonico who sold for $1,000 as a yearling at the OBS winter sale and $35,000 at the OBS July Sale as a 2-year-old. He'd broken his maiden at Los Alamitos on Dec. 11 by three lengths, getting a 76 Beyer.

Under Mike Smith, Life Is Good broke from the outside No. 5 post and was in front into the first turn while four wide. Never challenged through the first six furlongs, he set fractions of :23.56, :23.11 and :23.99 while leading by three to four lengths, according to the Equibase chart.

With a furlong left and a four-length advantage, Life Is Good looked home free. But Abel Cedillo aboard Medina Spirit, who chased from second throughout, cut into that margin — gradually at first and then more dramatically in the final yards. As Medina Spirit gained on Life Is Good in the final sixteenth of a mile, Smith went to work on his mount (much as he did when he thought Authentic was home free in the Haskell, leading by 2 1/2 lengths at furlong pole and then barely holding on against Ny Traffic to win by a nose).

Life Is Good drifted out several paths late, possibly intimidating Medina Spirit and Cedillo, who wasn't able to give the most aggressive ride in the final yards. The winning margin was three-quarters of a length and the final quarter mile was run in :25.97. This was not the performance I was expecting to see.

The Beyer team gave Life Is Good a 101 Speed Figure, by far the fastest of the three weekend Derby preps.

Grade: B-

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Gulfstream Park: $1.1 Million Guaranteed Rainbow 6 Jackpot On Saturday

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $1.1 million Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for the eighth racing day in a row Friday, when multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $5,195.60.

Saturday's Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 6-11, highlighted the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man in Race 10. The mile stakes for 3-year-olds, the first stop on the 2021 Road to the Florida Derby (G1),

The Mucho Macho Man, which will be accompanied in the Rainbow 6 sequence by the $75,000 Limehouse in Race 7 and the $75,000 Ginger Brew in Race 9.

Todd Pletcher-trained Mutasaabeq, a Grade 2 stakes winner on turf, is rated as the 5-2 morning-line favorite. The Shadwell homebred, who broke his maiden on dirt at Saratoga in his debut, is coming off a wide-trip, off-the-board finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1).

The Limehouse, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds, drew a field of eight, including Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained Drain the Clock, a back-to-back winner at Gulfstream in his first two career starts, was installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite. The son of Maclean's Music is coming off a disastrous start at Delta Downs in the Jean Lafitte Stakes, in which the rider was unseated due to a broken iron.

The Ginger Brew, a mile turf race for sophomore fillies, drew a deep field of nine, including Mark Casse-trained Inthewinnerscircle, who captured the Florida-bred Juvenile Fillies Turf at Gulfstream Park West; Todd Pletcher-trained Con Lima, who won an optional claiming allowance by more than six lengths in her turf debut at Gulfstream last out; Christophe Clement-trained Honey Pants, the 3-1 morning-line favorite who most recently finished second in a six-furlong stake on turf at Aqueduct; and Graham Motion-trained Oyster Box, who is coming off a debut victory at Belmont.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot pool is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

WHO'S HOT: No one is hotter than jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., who rode five winners on Friday's program and swept the three stakes. He won the $75,000 Janus aboard Imprimis ($3.60), the $75,000 Cash Run aboard Gulf Coast ($6.40), and the $75,000 Abundantia with Hear My Prayer ($21). Ortiz also won aboard Lionessofbrittany ($13.20) in the sixth race and first-time starter Luann ($3.80) in the fifth.

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Triple Crown Hopeful? Mutasaabeq Switches To Dirt For Saturday’s Mucho Macho Man Stakes

Shadwell Stable's Mutasaabeq, a Grade 2 stakes winner on turf, is scheduled to make the switch back to dirt for Saturday's $100,000 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Mucho Macho Man, a one-mile stakes for newly turned 3-year-olds, will kick off the 2021 Road to the Florida Derby (G1) on an 11-race program that will also be highlighted by the $75,000 Limehouse, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds; the $75,000 Dania Beach, a mile turf race for 3-year-olds; the $75,000 Glitter Woman, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies; and the $75,000 Ginger Brew, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Mutasaabeq looked like a colt with a big future on turf after surging from last to capture the Oct. 4 Bourbon (G2) in his grass debut at Keeneland. While major success on turf may well be in the son of Into Mischief's future, trainer Todd Pletcher has opted for the Mucho Macho Man as his next start following a disappointing off-the-board finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Keeneland in his 2-year-old season finale.

“I think he's versatile like we see with most Into Mischiefs. We've seen them run on both surfaces,” Pletcher said. “We'd like to see him on dirt again to help clarify that.”

Mutasaabeq started off his career with an impressive triumph over Saratoga's main track in August, drawing away to a 4 ½-length victory while running 5 ½ furlongs in 1:03.55. The Kentucky-bred colt returned to finish a distant third in the Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga a month later before making his turf debut in the Bourbon.

“We're very happy with the way he's training. We decided to get him back on the dirt. He broke his maiden on dirt and ran a respectable third in the Hopeful, so we'll see where we are with him,” Pletcher said.

Luis Saez has the mount aboard Mutasaabeq.

OMGA Investments LLC and Off the Hook LLC's Jirafales is set to make his stakes debut following a most promising Nov. 19 debut victory at Gulfstream Park West. The Gustavo Delgado-trained son of Social Inclusion overcame bumping at the start of the 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight for Florida-breds to surge from off the pace to win going away by 4 ½ lengths.

“We didn't expect him to run a race like that. We thought he might need a race. The pace helped a little bit,” said Gustavo Delgado Jr., the trainer's son and assistant. “Since that race, he has been training very well. He's improving from that race.”

The homebred colt should have no problem stretching out to a mile, Delgado said.

“He's a huge horse. I'd say he's almost 17 hands,” Delgado said “He has this long stride. He can go all day. We think the longer he goes the better it will be for him.”

Cristian Torres has the return call aboard Jirafales.

Jim Bakke and Jerry Isbister's Ultimate Badger will seek to rebound from an off-the-board finish in the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) at Churchill. The son of Commissioner had previously captured an optional claiming allowance before finishing far behind stablemate Smiley Sobotka, who finished second in the Kentucky Jockey Club.

Ultimate Badger, who broke his maiden at first asking at Ellis Park, also finished out of the money in his stakes debut at Churchill in the Sept. 5 Iroquois (G3), won by stablemate Sittin On Go. Ultimate Badger came back to finish second and register a victory in optional claiming allowance company.

“He ran two bad races in his life and there are no excuses for either one of them,” trainer Dale Romans said. “They both happened in a stake with horses I know he can compete with. He just threw in some clunkers. He rebounded off the first one, so we're hoping he'll rebound off the last one.”

Corey Lanerie is scheduled to ride Ultimate Badger for the first time Saturday.

Magic Stables LLC's Papetu returns to action at Gulfstream Park after a pair of graded-stakes starts at Saratoga. The Antonio Sano-trained son of Dialed In finished sixth in the Aug. 7 Saratoga Special (G2) and fifth in the Sept. 7 Hopeful (G1) after launching his career with back-to-back victories at Gulfstream.

Leonel Reyes, who was aboard for Papetu's victories, is set for a return to the saddle.

John Bowers Jr.'s Pickin' Time brings graded-stakes credentials into the Mucho Macho Man, having pulled off a 2 ¼-length upset in the Nov. 8 Nashua (G3) at a one-turn mile distance at Aqueduct. The New Jersey homebred son of Stay Thirsty came back to finish a distant fourth in the Dec. 5 Remsen (G2).

Pickin' Time finished eighth in the Saratoga Special after winning his July 4 debut at Monmouth Park.

Joe Bravo has the call aboard the Kelly Breen-trained colt.

Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's Big Thorn is slated to seek his third straight victory and second stakes win in a row in the Mucho Macho Man. The David Fawkes-trained colt, who debuted with a second-place finish in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Sept. 24, graduated with a five-length romp Oct. 29. He followed up that win with a 4 ½-length victory Nov. 22 in the seven-furlong, off-the-turf Juvenile Turf at Gulfstream Park West.

Paco Lopez, who was aboard for both victories, has the return call on the homebred colt.

Breeze Easy LLC's Easy Time, like Jirafales, is scheduled to make his stakes debut in the Mucho Macho Man off a strong debut performance. The Mark Casse-trained son of Not This Time stalked the early pace of a seven-furlong maiden special weight race over Woodbine's synthetic surface before drawing away clearly by 2 ¾ lengths Oct. 25.

Jose Ortiz is scheduled to ride Easy Time for the first time Saturday.

John Fanelli and partners' Awesome Gerry and Peachtree Stable's Kiger will represent trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. in the Mucho Macho Man field.

Awesome Gerry is coming off a second-place finish in the Nov. 30 Jean Laffitte Stakes at Delta Downs. The son of Liam's Map had previously broken his maiden for a $50,000 claiming tag at Gulfstream, won an optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Park West and finished fourth in the Nyquist at Keeneland.

Kiger graduated second-time out Oct. 29 at Gulfstream Park West before finishing second in a mile optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream last time out.

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call aboard Awesome Gerry, while Edgard Zayas has been named to ride Kiger, a son of Verrazano.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Raison d'Air will be looking to rebound from a distant fourth-place finish in the off-the-turf Armed Forces Sept. 28 over a sloppy Gulfstream surface. The gelded son of Raison d'Etat had previously broken his maiden in his second career start by 13 ½ lengths.

Luca Panici has the call aboard the Kathy Ritvo trainee.

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