Donn - Mucho Macho Man out
Feb 3, 2013 0:44:00 GMT -5
Post by Jon on Feb 3, 2013 0:44:00 GMT -5
Macho Man to skip Donn; Take Charge Indy, Csaba work
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."
www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/news/article.cgi?id=34324&from=656
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.
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."
www.brisnet.com/cgi-bin/editorial/news/article.cgi?id=34324&from=656
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.