After upsetting his maiden field at 5-1 odds Nov. 24, Otello shipped south from Aqueduct to Gulfstream to make a successful jump into stakes company Monday, taking the Mucho Macho Man S. under Luis Saez. Favored this time around at 8-5 for Christophe Clement, the newly-turned 3-year-old executed a very similar race plan than that of his debut, sitting off the pace in fifth as longshot Everdoit (Gary D) was intent on the early lead. In a field that remained rather tightly bunched, Otello sat patiently through a :46.63 half before splitting horses to make a late bid. In a driving finish, the son of Curlin got up just ahead of both First World War and Sea Streak to win.
“He won first time out in New York, and he won well, got into a lot of trouble,” admitted Clement. “The same applied today, so I guess he likes to be in trouble. But he won well, and he got out of the trouble. He was good enough to overcome it. I'm not exactly sure what he beat today. I know that they liked the second horse. I'm thrilled. I don't train too many Curlins, so it's nice when it works out.”
“He's had two starts and he's had plenty of schooling,” Clement continued. “We'll see how he comes out of it. As you know, Elliott Walden is very involved, so we'll speak with him and have a plan. We'll enjoy this for a day or so and go from there. He'll have to go two turns next time, obviously, the question is: where? We've got time to think about that.”
The 101st stakes winner for Curlin, Otello is out of successful race mare Isabella Sings who has produced three winners from as many to race. His 2-year-old Into Mischief half-brother brought a final bid of $650,000 from Repole Stable and Spendthrift Farm last September at Keeneland and Isabella Sings reported a Gun Runner filly last year before visiting Life Is Good for 2024. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#3 OTELLO ($5.40) gets loose late to get up and win a thrilling $150,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The son of Curlin is now a perfect 2 for 2. Luis Saez was in the irons for Christophe Clement. Congrats to all the connections! pic.twitter.com/AP6p5ETjll
— TVG (@TVG) January 1, 2024
MUCHO MACHO MAN S., $150,000, Gulfstream, 1-1, 3yo, 1m, 1:37.76, ft.
1–OTELLO, 118, c, 3, by Curlin
1st Dam: Isabella Sings (MGSW-USA, GSP-Can,
$648,170), by Eskendereya
2nd Dam: Isobel Baillie (GB), by Lomitas (GB)
3rd Dam: Dubai Soprano (GB), by Zafonic
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm
LLC; B-Siena Farms LLC (KY); T-Christophe Clement; J-Luis Saez.
$92,070. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $138,820.
2–First World War, 118, c, 3, War Front–Sundaysatthebeach,
by Medaglia d'Oro. ($285,000 Wlg '21 FTKNOV; $135,000 RNA
Ylg '22 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Qatar Racing LLC and
Hunter Valley Farm; B-Skyfall Thoroughbreds LLC (KY);
T-Brendan P. Walsh. $29,700.
3–Sea Streak, 118, g, 3, Sea Wizard–High Noon Nellie, by Silver
Deputy. O/B-Holly Crest Farm (NJ); T-Eddie Owens, Jr.
$14,850.
Margins: HF, NK, 3/4. Odds: 1.70, 3.80, 9.00.
Also Ran: Inveigled, No More Time, Everdoit. Scratched: Boy Magic, Orb Alpha.
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