Mucho Macho Man installed as 9-5 favorite for Big ‘Cap

Mucho Macho Man will have to take on some BC Classic rivals in the Big ‘Cap (Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com)

A star-studded 77th edition of the Grade 1, $750,000
Santa
Anita Handicap will take place on Saturday, and the 1 1/4-mile contest has
turned into a rematch of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Mucho Macho Man just nosed out eventual champion three-year-old Will Take
Charge in the Classic, while two-time Big ‘Cap hero Game on Dude ran a subpar
ninth as the 8-5 favorite in the 10-furlong contest. All three will line back up
over the same track and distance as that Breeders’ Cup race in what could end up
being a preview of the 2014 Classic this fall.

Mucho Macho Man has been made the 9-5 favorite in the Big ‘Cap off his
dominating 14-length victory in the January 18 Florida Sunshine Millions
Classic. While his connections toyed with the idea of sending the bay
six-year-old across the pond to Meydan for the Group 1 Dubai World Cup on March
29, the final decision was made to have him go for Big ‘Cap glory on the West
Coast instead.

Will Take Charge continues his assault on the older male division in the Big ‘Cap (Wendy Wooley/EquiSport Photos)

The massive bay, who has posted nothing but triple-digit BRIS Speed ratings
since November 2011, earned a 113 Speed figure when romping by 4 1/4 lengths in
the Awesome Again before his Breeders’ Cup run. That battle royale garnered
Mucho Macho Man a 108, and he still managed to rack up a 102 when turning the
Sunshine Millions Classic into a paid workout.

Gary Stevens took over piloting duties aboard Mucho Macho Man for trainer
Kathy Ritvo in the Awesome Again, and has been aboard ever since. The duo will
break from the 2 post on Saturday, just inside of Will Take Charge’s rail slot.

Will Take Charge didn’t get much of a rest after his Classic duel. Instead,
trainer D. Wayne Lukas shipped his Unbridled’s Song colt to Churchill Downs for
the Grade 1 Clark Handicap, and the chestnut found a familiar rival tagging
along for the ride when Game on Dude’s connections also sent their star runner
to Louisville, Kentucky. Will Take Charge found himself engaged in yet another
stretch battle, but this time managed to come out on top as he headed Game on
Dude on the Clark wire.

Given a brief freshening following a sophomore campaign that saw him rack up
an 11-5-2-0 mark, including a nose triumph in the Grade 1 Travers at Saratoga
and eventual Eclipse Award honors as champion three-year-old male, the
Kentucky-bred made his four-year-old bow in Gulfstream Park’s Grade 1 Donn
Handicap on February 9 and rallied from midpack to be second. Will Take Charge
shipped into Gulfstream from Oaklawn Park and then back to that Hot Springs,
Arkansas, track to prepare for the Big ‘Cap. He’s posted three works since then,
including a pair of half-mile bullet moves in :48 2/5 on February 18 and :47 4/5
last Sunday.

Game on Dude is seeking a record third Big ‘Cap victory on Saturday (Benoit Photos)

Game on Dude, the 5-2 third choice, is seeking a record third victory in the
Big ‘Cap after joining the likes of John Henry (1981-’82), Milwaukee Brew
(2002-’03) and Lava Man (2006-’07) as a two-time winner last year when romping
by 7 3/4 lengths. That was just one of his five wins from seven starts last
year, with the others coming in the Grade 2 San Antonia, Grade 2 Charles Town
Classic, Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap and Grade 1 Pacific Classic.

Unfortunately, the Bob Baffert-trained seven-year-old hasn’t had much luck in
the past two runnings of the Breeders’ Cup Classic following a runner-up effort
at Churchill Downs in the 2011 edition. In 2012 at his home track of Santa
Anita, Game on Dude could do no better than a one-paced seventh, and last year
faded to fifth after contesting the early pace back at the track.

The dark bay Awesome Again gelding opened the 2013 season on a worrisome note
when fifth as the two-time defending champion of the Grade 2 San Antonio on
February 8 under jockey Mike Smith, and the duo will attempt to get back to form
on Saturday.