Sunday plays: Use these 3 horses in Mucho Macho Man

Even though the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Sunday does not offer any Kentucky Derby points, it usually brings together an interesting field of 3-year-olds who might find success on that path in future points races. For example, the 2022 Mucho Macho Man winner Simplification eventually ran fourth in the Kentucky Derby.

Here are some thoughts on who to side with in this year’s edition. But first, here is one selection for the $100,000 Cash Run Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, two races earlier on the card.

Gulfstream race 7: Cash Run Stakes

In September, Infinite Diamond delivered a blowout maiden win by 14 1/2 lengths on this course at the same one-mile distance as this race.

Then, Infinite Diamond turned in a strange clunker at 8-1 in the Alcibiades Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. Following a wide stalking trip, she folded to last by 73 lengths after getting eased late.

Maybe bettors can forgive Infinite Diamond’s Keeneland flop as part of the filly’s development. Infinite Diamond now cuts back to one mile in this spot and drops into an ungraded stakes race against no real stars. In her Dec. 22 work at Palm Meadows shown on XBTV, Infinite Diamond blew away her workmate, which at least signals she feels well.

Although the morning-line favorite Pure Pauline in post 2 will provide a decent challenge, the public is probably going to overbet that filly, especially since they love to wager on Todd Pletcher's younger horses. To give Pure Pauline credit, she did finish fourth in the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) after making a move in tandem with Hoosier Philly on the turn. But she could not keep up and ended up fading in the stretch. 

The public is not as eager to bet trainer Patrick Biancone. With that in mind, Infinite Diamond was listed as 4-1 on the morning line and those odds may hold. This filly deserves another shot before we give up on her.

Use in multi-race wagers: 2,6.

Win-place: 6 (at 7-2 or higher).

Gulfstream race 9: Mucho Macho Man Stakes

General Jim did not run that great in his lone dirt start at Saratoga  in August. The son of Into Mischief ended up a distant third by 9 3/4 lengths.

On turf, General Jim began to thrive by breaking his maiden at the end of the Saratoga meet. Over a month later, General Jim won an allowance race on Keeneland turf by an impressive by 3 1/4 lengths. Then in his third turf start, General Jim closed well for third in the Central Park Stakes at Aqueduct.

Perhaps General Jim just needed to stretch out to a longer distance though. Notice those first two turf races were run at a mile and one-sixteenth, while the Central Park was run at one mile. His maiden race came at six furlongs. In this one-mile dirt race at Gulfstream, General Jim might run fine if his improvement was due more to stretching out. 

For a second option, think about Lord Miles, who broke his maiden locally Nov. 19 by 5 3/4 lengths in a six-furlong sprint. Lord Miles ran slow in terms of speed figures, but Saffie Joseph Jr. knows how to win big races on this track and he believes in him. 

From a pedigree standpoint, Lord Miles should love the stretchout to one mile. His sire Curlin is an obvious stamina influence whose progeny tend to run all day. As for Lord Miles’ immediate dam Lady Esme, she is a half-sister to the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies champion Caledonia Road. Lord Miles could take the next step forward while stretching out. 

In addition, also consider the maiden Baby Billy if he runs. Two starts ago in a six-furlong Churchill Downs maiden race, Baby Bill only lost by a head to Tumbarumba after an exciting stretch battle. Tumbarumba went on to finish second in the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile Stakes at Fair Grounds in his next start.

Baby Billy made use of tactical speed in that good Churchill Downs maiden effort, but he did not show early speed in his local Dec. 3 effort on this track. Although Baby Billy still closed for third in that local race under new connections, the lack of early speed hurt his chances.

Since Baby Billy is stretching out to one mile in this stakes race, keeping pace with the leaders will become easier and he might find himself in a great position to strike on the turn. By now his new trainer, Jack Sisterson, will know him better. 

But overall, General Jim looks like the most reliable option. The public does like to bet horses from the Shug McGaughey barn, but maybe his turf races will scare people away.

Use in multi-race wagers: 3,5,10.

Exacta box (if all run): 3,5,10.

Win-place: 5 (at 7-2 or higher).