Reeves looking for right horse to fill Pegasus slot

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Dean Reeves has already achieved one of Thoroughbred racing’s most coveted goals, winning the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic with Mucho Macho Man. Now, he’s gotten in on the ground floor hoping to achieve another – winning the inaugural edition of the Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park next January.

Reeves, who turns 65 in July and resides in Suwannee, Ga., is the only locally based owner to have purchased one of the 12 slots, at a cost of $1 million apiece, for the world’s richest horse race. Others with a place in the race include Paul Reddam, the owner of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist; California Chrome LLC, the owner of Dubai World Cup winner California Chrome; Pegasus Cup founder and Gulfstream Park head Frank Stronach; and the breeding and racing outfit Coolmore.

“I purchased a spot because I thought it was an interesting concept,” Reeves said on Friday. “I agree with Frank that people involved in a business need to be engaged or feel a part of that business. I run my own company that same way, by making my employees partners in the business. And the concept behind Pegasus is to enable owners to come in for one race and actually be like the owners of the racetrack, at least for that one race. To do the best we can to promote and enhance the event, make it as exciting as we can for the fans, even the trainers and jockeys. I think the future for the race is great, and to have the first right of refusal every year is important.”

At present, Reeves does not have a legitimate contender for the Pegasus Cup. His 10-horse stable consists of seven 2-year-olds and three 3-year-olds, the best of whom, Mac Daddy Mac, has not raced since finishing second in the Grade 3 Bob Hope at Del Mar on Nov. 14. All of his horses are stabled at Gulfstream Park with trainer Kathy Ritvo.

“Kathy is spectacular, unbelievable in her ability to connect with the horses,” said Reeves. “She’s also very humble about what she does. She’s not flashy at all, which probably impacts the number of horses she trains. But I don’t think anybody could have done what she did with Mucho Macho Man – to finish second in the Classic and then come back a year later and win the race against an entirely different group of horses.”

Reeves said he and Ritvo are monitoring all the horses they think can be competitive in the 2016 Pegasus Classic.

“We are open to any options – purchasing a horse outright, leasing one, etc., for the race,” said Reeves. “It’s a little premature to pull the trigger or make any moves right now. The top two at the moment appear to be California Chrome and Frosted. Other than that, you can throw a blanket over another dozen or so, I think. But you know how it goes in this business. A horse that looks great today might not even be around in January, so we’re just kind of sitting back. We’ll watch how some of the 3-year-olds develop later in the year and perhaps make some kind of move during the fall.”

Reeves was then asked if he had considered bringing Mucho Macho Man out of retirement for the Pegasus. Mucho Macho Man is standing stud at Stronach’s Adena Springs Farm in Kentucky.

“I can’t sit here and say the notion hadn’t crossed my mind, although if I suggested that, Frank would probably kill me,” Reeves said with a chuckle. “But he’s doing so well in that arena right now. The 80 babies he has on the ground now look absolutely spectacular. I think we’ll let him stick to that. I’ll just have to try to show some patience and wait to win the race down the road with one of his offspring.”

◗ A field of just six, including the Mark Casse-trained pair of Piloting and Southern Barbecue, will decided Sunday’s $44,000 optional-claiming feature at a mile on the main track.

Piloting defeated softer optional-claiming opposition over a sloppy track May 18. Southern Barbecue has not started since finishing third in the Sunshine Millions Classic Preview last November.

Rich Daddy, a winner of three of his last four starts, likely will be favored and is strictly the horse to beat. Completing the lineup are the stakes-placed Wildcat Wish, who is the lone 3-year-old in the field, Joshua’s Comprise, and Hy Kodiak Warrior.