After failing to fully extend himself on a sloppy track in the Florida
Sunshine Millions Classic on January 19, Mucho Macho Man was nominated for the
Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park on February 9. After weighing their
options, the five-year-old Florida-bred’s connections will take a pass on the 1
1/8-mile handicap.
“After considering the Donn as an option, we’ve decided to pass,” trainer
Kathy Ritvo said. “It does not fit as well into our long-term objectives for
Mucho Macho Man as others do.”
Mucho Macho Man, whose only other poor race came over a sloppy track in the
2011 Belmont Stakes, had finished a close second behind Fort Larned in the
November 3 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita prior to the Florida Sunshine
Millions Classic, in which he was taken in hand by jockey Mike Smith after
struggling with the surface.
The Donn picked up a new shooter in B.J. Wright’s Ultimate Eagle, who is set
to be flown from Southern California to South Florida Tuesday. The five-year-old
will be making his first start finishing second by a head in the Grade 2 San
Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita on January 5.
“We just thought it was time to test the waters,” trainer Mike Pender said
Friday from his Hollywood Park headquarters. “He’ll be coming on a FedEx cargo
flight Tuesday and I will be there, too. He’ll breeze here on Monday before we
fly. He’ll be making his third start back off the layoff and the timing is
right. He’s trained great. Martin (Pedroza) will ride him.”
A Kentucky-bred by Mizzen Mast, Ultimate Eagle has made all of his career
starts at Southern California tracks and brings a 12-5-2-3 record and earnings
of $547,800 into the Donn. Only three of his races have been on the dirt.
After making his first three starts on the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park in
the spring of 2011 as a maiden, he won his next four on turf at Del Mar, Santa
Anita and back at Hollywood later that season, highlighted by a victory in the
Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in the fall.
Ultimate Eagle made only three starts last year, winning the Grade 2 Strub
Stakes at Santa Anita by 7 1/4 lengths in his first try on dirt before finishing
10th in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap early in the year. He returned from a
nearly nine-month layoff to finish a game second on turf in the Grade 2 Citation
Handicap at Hollywood on November 23 before his good try on dirt at Santa Anita
in the San Pasqual.
Others definitely on course for the Donn are Take Charge Indy and Csaba, who
both posted their final major moves on Saturday.
WinStar Farm and Chuck and Maribeth Sandford’s Take Charge Indy was timed a
bullet half-mile in :47 at Palm Meadows, the fastest of 73 works at the distance
on the fast main track.
“He was sharp,” trainer Pat Byrne said of the four-year-old, who captured
last year’s Grade 1 Florida Derby at the Donn track and trip.
“I wanted to put a little speed in him and stretch his legs. He actually went
three-eighths in :34 2/5 and galloped out in :47. We’re all set and looking
forward to next Saturday.”
A regally-bred son of A.P. Indy out of multiple Grade 1 winner Take Charge
Lady, Take Charge Indy makes his first start since a game second-place finish in
the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on November 23 when beaten a
length by Shackleford.
Byrne commented on the possible pace scenario in the Donn, particularly with
front-running California invader Ultimate Eagle in the race.
“He’s (Take Charge Indy) push-button,” Byrne said. “If somebody else wants
the lead, they can have it. We’ll just sit off it.”
Bruce Hollander and Cary Shapoff’s four-year-old Csaba breezed an easy
half-mile in :50 3/5 Saturday morning at Calder under regular exercise ride
Oscar Perez in preparation for his bid for a fifth consecutive stakes victory in
the Donn.
“He’s doing good and looked good this morning,” trainer Phil Gleaves said.
“It’s a big test for us and most of the horses in the race. It’s a quality Donn
field.”
Gleaves is not concerned about how the race might shape up with several
leading contenders tending to run on or near the lead.
“The good thing about Csaba is that he’s proven to be so tractable,” the
horseman said. “We don’t have to rely on anybody else in the race to show speed
or not. He makes his own race.”
A son of Kitten’s Joy, Csaba has won eight of 17 career starts including his
last four. After scoring in the off-the-turf Tropical Park Derby in mid-October
and a dead-heat win in the Grade 3 Fred Hooper Handicap in November at Calder,
he won the 1 1/16-mile Harlan’s Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream on December 16 by 3
3/4 lengths and turned back for a game victory in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope Stakes
at a one-turn mile on January 13.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com