Gulfstream Park: Mucho Macho Man ready for more

Barbara D. Livingston

Mucho Macho Man, with Ramon Dominguez riding, wins the Florida Sunshine Millions Classic.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Mucho Macho Man went back to the track on Tuesday for an easy jog, obviously none the worse for wear from his extremely impressive 1 1/2-length victory over Ron the Greek in Saturday’s Florida Sunshine Millions Classic.

“He came out of the race fine and trained well this morning,” trainer Kathy Ritvo said on Tuesday. “He’s doing great.”

Mucho Macho Man thrust himself into the national picture once again with his performance under Ramon Dominguez in the Sunshine Classic, for which he received a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure. Mucho Macho Man was among the leading 3-year-olds in the country at this time last year, finished third in the Kentucky Derby, then dropped off the radar screen after being given most of the second half of the season off to recuperate from the rigors of the Triple Crown trail.

“I expected him to run really well on Saturday,” said Ritvo. “He was training like a monster. He was so relaxed going into this race. He’s just gotten more serious, more mature and become a better horse since last summer. Although coming down the stretch he was still looking around a little bit waiting on the others, Ramon said he still had some horse left at the end. He thought he ran unbelievable.”

Ritvo said she and Mucho Macho Man’s connections still had not made any plans regarding where their colt might go next.

“At the moment we’re still thinking about last Saturday and how good that was, not about what’s ahead,” said Ritvo who trains Mucho Macho Man for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and the Dream Team Racing Stable. “We’ll get together and begin looking at our options over the next couple of days and probably come up with a plan for what he’ll do next by the end of the week.”