Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Mucho Macho Man stepped up
preparations for his 2014 debut, breezing five furlongs in 1:00 Sunday over the
fast main track at
Gulfstream Park. The five-year-old son of Macho Uno galloped out six furlongs in
1:14 under regular exercise rider Nick Petro Jr.
“He was just feeling so good, we let him do a little more
today,” trainer Kathy Ritvo explained. “He did great.”
Ritvo said she, stable manager
Finn Green, and owners Dean and Patti Reeves were still weighing their options
for Mucho Macho Man’s next start. The $400,000 Sunshine Millions Classic on January
18 and Grade 1, $500,000 Donn Handicap on February 8 are two of those options at
Gulfstream Park.
Mucho Macho Man’s connections announced on December 4 that
their strapping handicap star would return for a fifth racing season.
“No one
could have been happier than I was to get another year of great training from
him,” Ritvo declared. “I know he got off to a slow start but he finished up the year great. He’s
just showing all the right signs. He’s a pleasure. He’s very happy. He’s been
doing very well since the Breeders’ Cup and has been training well since he got
here. His coat looks great and his weight is great.”
Ritvo is hopeful Mucho Macho Man will campaign this year as
an Eclipse champion.
“He got a little slow start, but he beat all the best
horses when it counted,” Ritvo asserted. “I wouldn’t trade horses with anybody.”
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