Follow these 3 Mucho Macho Man also-rans down the line

Even though the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream ended up as a slow race with Dreaming of Kona earning only a 72 Beyer Speed Figure, there are at least three colts from the race that deserve another chance from bettors.

The most obvious runner to forgive is General Jim, who finished a troubled fourth after sitting in the pocket on the turn and failing to tip outside.

At one point on the turn, it almost seemed like General Jim found enough room and started to move forward. Unfortunately for General Jim, Dreaming of Kona kept General Jim pinned to the inside as they entered the top of the stretch.

After the horses entered the stretch, jockey Luis Saez on General Jim tried more aggressively to muscle his way out of the trap. But Dreaming of Kona held his ground and a tired Legacy Isle failed to provide enough room while running on his wrong lead in front.

Later on, Legacy Isle drifted out late, which opened up the inside near the wire. General Jim failed to progress in those last few moments. But in fairness, most young horses do not want to rally through the inside. In General Jim’s case, he also expended energy trying repeatedly to tip out.  

Given the lack of room, General Jim is capable of better. Expect him to improve under trainer Shug McGaughey, whose runners develop slowly.

If he stays at Gulfstream, also keep tabs on Lord Miles, who closed well for third in the stretch after starting the race eighth in the opening quarter.

Unlike General Jim, there is nothing to note about Lord Miles’ trip other than he ran slightly wide. But his pedigree is excellent. With Curlin as the sire and a dam whose half-sister is Caledonia Road, the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies champion, the pedigree is there to handle longer routes.  

Also consider the fact Lord Miles came into this race off only a local maiden win in November, when the racing at Gulfstream is typically weaker than usual. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. excels at Gulfstream, and this might develop into his next White Abarrio as the trail goes on.

The third colt from this race to watch is the maiden Baby Billy. The case to bet him back at some point is harder, but it feels like he has talent.

Baby Billy ran a non-threatening eighth and does not seem like a runner to keep an eye on at first. However, Baby Billy ran too well in his runner-up effort on Nov. 6 at Churchill Downs to give up on him. In that race, Baby Billy lost by a head and put an impressive 13 lengths on the third-place finisher. 

In the Mucho Macho Man, Baby Billy started toward the rear in 10th and then made his way into eighth, where he remained for the rest of the race at each call. Note the margins behind the leader, though. Baby Billy fell from 6 1/4 lengths behind in the opening quarter to 13 lengths behind before making up ground late and reducing the margin to 6 1/4 lengths at the wire.

Baby Billy’s running line looks like a Z pattern, where the horse loses significant ground early in the race and then gains it back in the stretch. Baby Billy did not lose interest in the race, but he seems green and uncertain of his job. Perhaps Baby Billy needs to see himself cross the wire first before he can progress. 

Trainer Jack Sisterson has had Baby Billy for only two starts. If Baby Billy drops back down to a maiden race and wins, maybe a lightbulb will go off and he can take on a Derby prep such as the Florida Derby (G1).

All three of these horses were also-rans in the slow Mucho Macho Man Stakes, but the potential is there for them to develop. General Jim offers the typical bad trip of a horse stuck in the pocket who failed to get out, and Lord Miles and Baby Billy own undeveloped talent and could move forward soon.