Mucho Macho Man settling back in at Santa Anita ahead of Big ‘Cap

Mucho Macho Man most recently turned the FSM Classic into a paid workout (Adam Coglianese Photography)

Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man, who arrived
in Southern California Sunday afternoon from Florida, went two times around
Santa Anita’s training track Thursday morning as he prepares for the Grade 1,
$750,000 Santa Anita
Handicap on March 8.

“We haven’t had any bumps in the road getting here,” said
Finn Green, Racing Manager for owners Dean and Patti Reeves and Frank Stronach,
who recently bought a share of the horse.

“We’re dealing with the rain as it comes,” Green added.
“We’ll be flexible (on a breeze) based on the weather, and we’ll move it further
out instead of trying to get something in on a questionable track. We’ll wait
for the track. But you can tell the track’s being well-tended to.”

More than half an inch of rain hit the drought-stricken Los
Angeles area last night, but the sun was out late Thursday morning. Another
storm is set to reach the area late Thursday night.

Thursday’s three races scheduled to be run on turf were moved to the main
track, creating an even greater challenge for handicappers participating in the
day’s Pick 6, which had a carryover of $198,609 and was expected to reach $1.25
million.

In other Big ‘Cap news, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Thursday morning he
is considering running only one of the four horses he has nominated to the 1
1/4-mile race. That one is On Trust Handicap winner Rousing Sermon, who is
exiting a fifth-place effort in the Grade 2 San Pasqual on January 11.