Kentucky Derby 2019 Daily: Mucho Gusto taking ‘next step’
Welcome to Horse Racing Nation’s Kentucky Derby Daily, which will each day leading up to the May 4 race at Churchill Downs detail all the news and notes related to contenders in one convenient space.
Trainer Bob Baffert expects to send Mucho Gusto “on the road” this spring. Going out of town could yield better results than facing stablemates who are also the 2019 Kentucky Derby favorites in Game Winner and Improbable.
But first, the son of first crop sire Mucho Macho Man will hold the spotlight once more at home as he challenges in the Grade 3, $150,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.
“I think this is a good spot to start him in, and he’s been training well,” Baffert said. “This is the next step.”
Mucho Gusto looked flashy on debut, winning easily last September at Los Alamitos. From there, he set the fractions and won the Bob Hope Stakes (G3) going seven furlongs at Del Mar.
For a multitude of reasons, Baffert hasn’t lost confidence in the Michael Lund Petersen runner coming out of his third start, a five-length defeat to Improbable in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1).
“He took a lot of heat early. He did all the heavy lifting. He held on,” Baffert said. “and the horse that beat him was a nice horse. But I think (Mucho Gusto’s) changed since then. I think he’s more mature.”
With the forecast calling for rain Saturday in Southern California, Mucho Gusto might also catch an off track. Baffert selected him at auction, paying $625,000 after seeing the colt breeze over a wet surface.
“This is when they start separating themselves,” the Hall of Famer said. “But you don’t know what’s going to happen on a muddy racetrack like that. Hopefully he likes it.”
Mucho Gusto will face, among others, the 1-2 finishers of the Jan. 5 Sham Stakes (G1) in Gunmetal Gray and Sueno.
As for Baffert’s leading two Derby hopefuls, “if all goes well,” he repeated Wednesday, Game Winner will make his 3-year-old debut in the March 9 San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita Park. Improbable, another undefeated Grade 1 winner, is expected to also run twice before the first Saturday in May.
A big Saturday on the trail
In addition to the Robert B. Lewis carded for Saturday, Gulfstream Park runs its Holy Bull (G2) and Aqueduct the Withers (G3). Each offers qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 basis to the Top 4 finishers.
Check out odds and analysis pieces:
Withers Stakes | Holy Bull | Robert B. Lewis
Derby links
• HRN’s Bryan Brinkmeyer wrapped up January’s Derby preps with a new column pointing out a growing trend: that eventual Kentucky Derby winners don’t often race the first month of the year.
• America’s Best Racing features the namesake of Afleet Alex — Alex Zacney — the 19-year-old college sophomore who had a role in selecting Cash is King’s latest Derby hopeful, the Holy Bull favorite Maximus Mischief.
• On the heels of Game Winner’s Eclipse Award, there’s much to learn from a Thoroughbred Daily News interview with Ben Glass, the racing manager and former trainer for owners Gary and Mary West.
The works
In addition to a number of runners confirmed for weekend preps, these runners were on the work tab the last two days…
Code of Honor — Pointing toward the March 2 Fountain of Youth (G2), he picked up the pace in a third workout back from the Mucho Macho Man Stakes, drilling a five-furlong bullet on Monday in 1:01.00 at Payson Park.
Coliseum — Now pointed toward the San Vicente (G2) back around one turn at Santa Anita, the Tapit colt breezed a bullet as well, for the second week in a row from the gate, on Wednesday. The time was 1:12.20 for 6/8 of a mile.
Game Winner — The reigning champ went 10 days between drills due to rain in California but resumed working Wednesday with a five-furlong breeze in 1:03.40. It’s slow and steady toward the March 9 San Felipe (G2).
Mr. Money — Scratched from the Lecomte Stakes (G3) when he developed a quickly dissipating fever, the Bret Calhoun runner resurfaced Wednesday going a half mile at Fair Grounds in 49 seconds flat. His next race options are open.
Mucho — Given the recent performances by Hidden Scroll and Country House, he’s the forgotten runner in Bill Mott’s barn. The Hopeful (G1) runner-up posted his fourth work of the year Tuesday, getting four furlongs at Payson in 49.60.
Roadster — A setback right after his return to breezing in December meant another month-plus before a return Wednesday going 4/8 in 49.80 at Santa Anita. It appears they’re running out of time.
Tacitus — Another for Mott, the first foal out of Close Hatches went five furlongs toward a race to be determined later in 1:03.40 on Tuesday. This one’s just a maiden winner, but one Mott always brings up when discussing his top 3-year-olds.
Vekoma — The Nashua (G3) winner hasn’t raced since, with two preps possible before the first Saturday in May. For now, he’s in Florida and worked a half mile Tuesday in 51.16 seconds at Palm Beach Downs.