Big Macher must beat Wild Dude in Potrero Grande
ARCADIA, Calif. – Big Macher, a former $20,000 maiden claimer, nearly became a graded stakes winner March 8, when he finished second in the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita. The goal of winning a graded stakes with the 4-year-old gelding is achievable in Saturday’s $200,000 Potrero Grande Stakes over 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita.
The Grade 2 Potrero Grande will be Big Macher’s third consecutive start in a stakes. He won the California Cup Sprint for statebreds Jan. 25 in his stakes debut.
“The horse tries so hard,” trainer Richard Baltas said. “You can’t take that away from the horse. He’s got the will to win.”[bc_video_id:321098:]
Owned by Tom Mansor and Tachycardia Stables, Big Macher was claimed for $20,000 from a maiden race at Del Mar last July, the day he finished seventh of 12 in his career debut. Big Macher beat maidens last October in his fourth start, which came in a $40,000 claimer for maidens, and has not been worse than third in five subsequent starts.
“He hasn’t run a bad race since he broke his maiden,” Baltas said.
By Beau Genius, Big Macher has ample speed. In the San Carlos, Big Macher led by a length in the stretch and was caught in the final strides of the seven-furlong race. On Saturday, Big Macher could face early pressure from Cyclometer, who was ninth in the San Carlos after setting the pace.
“I don’t think he needs the lead,” Baltas said of Big Macher. “He can be one-two.”
Tyler Baze will ride Big Macher for the first time in the Potrero Grande. Baze was aboard Big Macher for a half-mile workout in 48.60 seconds last Saturday. Baltas timed the final furlong of that work in 11.40 seconds.
“We haven’t been working fast, but he’s doing good,” Baltas said. “He finished strongly last week.”
Wild Dude, fourth in the San Carlos, is the biggest threat to Big Macher and is likely to be favored. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Wild Dude won the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes over six furlongs Feb. 2, beating Secret Circle, the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint here last November.
In the San Carlos, Wild Dude raced within a length of the front throughout and finished three-quarters of a length behind the Hollendorfer-trained winner, Sahara Sky.
Leading jockey Rafael Bejarano has the mount on Wild Dude. Bejarano rode Wild Dude in the Palos Verdes and San Carlos. Dan Ward, Hollendorfer’s assistant, said the distance of the Potrero Grande should work in favor of Wild Dude.
“Going 6 1/2 should be right up his alley,” Ward said.
Hollendorfer also starts Zeewat, who won the Damascus Stakes here last November and was third in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26. Zeewat was last of 10 in the San Carlos.
There are three other stakes winners in the field. Wine Police won the Remington Park Sprint Cup last September in Oklahoma. Midnight Transfer won the San Pedro Stakes here in 2012. Cyclometer won the Midnight Lute Stakes over six furlongs here in January.
Also in the field are Mongolian Saturday, who has placed in three stakes, and the longshot Crimson Giant.