Mucho Macho man heads Sunshine Millions nominees

Mucho Macho Man is the marquee name on the Sunshine Millions nominees list (NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography) The $1.3 million Sunshine Millions at Gulfstream Park on January 18 received 145 nominations, including Mucho Macho Man, who captured the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita in November. Mucho Macho Man has been training sharply at Gulfstream for a possible start in the $400,000 Classic, which will anchor the six-race event for Florida-bred horses that will also include the $300,000 Distaff, the $150,000 Turf, the $150,000 Filly & Mare Turf, the $150,000 Sprint and the $150,000 Filly & Mare Sprint. The Sunshine Millions will be followed that evening by the 43rd Annual Eclipse Awards ceremony in the Sport of Kings. Thoroughbred racing’s version of the Academy Awards was held at a racetrack for the first time last year at Gulfstream Park.

Mucho Macho Man, who will be honored with the Secretariat Vox Populi Award in
ceremonies at Santa Anita and Gulfstream on Saturday, is expected to be a
finalist for the Eclipse Award for older horses and is on the short list of
possible Horse of the Year finalists.

The Kathy Ritvo-trained six-year-old captured the 2012 Sunshine Millions
Classic. Last year, the son of Macho Uno was the odds-on favorite to defend his
title, only to be pulled up by jockey Mike Smith before the finish after having
much difficulty handling a sloppy track. Soon after, Mucho Macho Man was
inflicted with bacterial and viral infections that compromised the first half of
his 2014 campaign.

Todd Pletcher, defending 10-time training champion at Gulfstream, nominated
five horses for the Sunshine Millions, including Mordi’s Miracle, who captured
the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Classic Preview at Gulfstream by three lengths on
November 9. Pletcher nominated Mordi’s Miracle for the Classic, along with
graded stakes-placed Battier and lightly raced Tiz Chris.

Pletcher also nominated Silsita (Distaff and Filly & Mare Turf), runner-up to
Parranda in the $125,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Preview, and Sweet
N Discreet (Distaff and Filly & Mare Sprint), who won back-to-back allowance
races at Gulfstream before finishing second behind Devil’s Cave in the $100,000
Ocala Stakes. Both Parranda (Filly & Mare Turf) and Devil’s Cave (Distaff and
Filly & Mare Sprint) were nominated to the Sunshine Millions.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert nominated four horses for the Sunshine
Millions, including Den’s Legacy (Classic and Turf), Rolling Fog (Sprint),
Ondine (Distaff, Filly & Mare Turf and Filly & Mare Sprint) and
Secretsatmidnight (Turf).

California-based Tom Proctor, who trains a division at Gulfstream, nominated
three West Coast performers, including Procurement (Filly & Mare Turf), Wishing
Gate (Filly & Mare Turf) and Old Time Hockey (Turf). California-based John
Sadler nominated Spring Up (Turf).

Trainer Ron Moquett nominated Gentlemen’s Bet, who finished third in the
Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita last time out, for the Sprint, which also
attracted Jason Servis-trained Ribo Robo, winner of 10 of his last 11 starts.

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