Baltas Hopes Big Macher Remains Sharp

Stymie and Lava Man are two of racing’s greatest claims. Stymie, haltered for $1,500 by legendary trainer Hirsch Jacobs back in the 1940s, went on to earn a then-world record of more than $900,000 before Triple Crown winner Citation surpassed the mark when he won the 1951 Hollywood Gold Cup.

Lava Man, claimed for $50,000 by Doug O’Neill, subsequently won the Hollywood Gold Cup three times and the Santa Anita Handicap in 2006 and 2007, earning more than $5 million before his retirement.

Enter Big Macher. The California-bred gelding isn’t within a furlong of Stymie and Lava Man at this point, but the son of Beau Genius taken by trainer Richard Baltas from his first start, a $20,000 maiden claiming race on July 17, 2013, has paid his way and then some, earning more than $500,000. His future is still in front of him, starting with Saturday’s Grade II, $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs.

Baltas had ticketed Big Macher for the $150,000 California Cup Sprint on Sunshine Millions California Cup Day last Saturday, but after drawing the one post position, opted to wait for the Palos Verdes, one reason being he hoped to get a more advantageous post position.

“I didn’t expect him to achieve what he has so far, hell no,” Baltas said of the 5-year-old gelding. “When you claim a horse and it improves, I don’t think it’s a matter of luck. It’s up to the trainer to make the decisions. Look at Ron Ellis. He took Seeking the Sherif for $12,500 and did everything he had to do to improve the horse.

“That’s what happens in this business with guys who know how to train a horse. It doesn’t happen to Joe Schmo. Guys just don’t get lucky. You’ve got to take care of horses every day, day in, day out . . . You’ve got to make the right decisions.

“It’s like coaching a football team. You’ve got to know what you did wrong and try to improve on it. You look at a horse every day to see what you can do to make it better next time. The horse has to earn its way through the ranks.

“Sometimes you claim a horse and it works out, sometimes it doesn’t.”

As to the Palos Verdes, Baltas said the break is important and he hopes to see Big Macher “right behind Bonde’s horse,” referring to trainer Jeff Bonde’s speedball Distinctiv Passion, who breaks just inside Big Macher in the No. 1 post position.

The field for the Palos Verdes, race six of nine: Distinctiv Passion, Mike Smith, 2-1; Big Macher, Tyler Baze, 5-2; Conquest Two Step, Joe Talamo, 4-1; Secret Circle, Martin Garcia, 5-2; Wild Dude, Rafael Bejarano, 4-1; and Chief Lion, Martin Pedroza, 15-1.

Source: Santa Anita Park