Mucho Macho Man blazes in Gulfstream work

No decision has been made on where Breeders' Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho

Man will make his next start, but he left no doubt Saturday morning that he is

ready to run.

Hitting Gulfstream Park's main track shortly before sunrise, the six-year-old

Florida-bred blazed a half-mile in :46 4/5 and galloped out five furlongs in :59

2/5 under regular exercise rider Nick Petro.

It was the first work for Mucho Macho Man since opening his campaign with a

dominant 14-length victory in the $400,000 Florida Sunshine Millions Classic at

Gulfstream on January 18 -- his third straight win following the Awesome Again

and Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita.

"He looked great," said Kathy Ritvo, who trains Mucho Macho Man for owners

Dean and Patti Reeves. "It's hard to say too much else. He worked very good

today. He's very happy and doing really well."

Among the possible races for Mucho Macho Man are the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita

Handicap on March 8 and the Group 1, $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 29 at Meydan.

"We chose today to start working him to be able to have both races as options

and let him tell us basically what race is going to be best," said Reeves

Thoroughbred Racing manager Finn Green. "We can use this work for either race;

we haven't decided yet. We're in a very good place. He's provided us with a very

good place."