Big Macher Rates Big Shot in Potrero Grande

Freely translated from Yiddish, Big Macher means “big shot.” Richard Baltas thinks the 4-year-old Beau Genius gelding has just that in Saturday’s Potrero Grande Stakes for older horses at 6 ½ furlongs on the main track.

“He’s doing well,” Baltas said of the bay California-bred owned by Tom Mansor and

Brendan Bikar, who races as Tachycardia Stables. “The horse has a good style; he can stalk or can be on the lead, too. It doesn’t matter.

“I like where we drew (post position seven of eight). There is one speed horse outside us (Cyclometer), but we should come out of there and Tyler (Baze) will have a good look at the field, but if they give us the lead, we’ll take it.”

Winner of the California Cup Sprint on Jan. 25, Big Macher was second by a half-length in the Grade II San Carlos Stakes last out behind Sahara Sky, himself a Grade I winner in last year’s prestigious Met Mile.

“Around the barn, he’s quiet, very professional,” Baltas said of Big Macher, who was claimed from his first start for $20,000 on July 17, 2013. “He’s just a plain horse who does everything pretty easy around the barn.

“He’s not a problem at all. He’s a nice horse, but the good thing is, he knows when he’s in a race, and that’s when he turns it on.”

The field for the Potrero Grande: Mongolian Saturday, Aaron Gryder, 6-1; Wine Police, Martin Garcia, 4-1; Zeewat, Mario Gutierrez, 12-1; Midnight Transfer, Joe Talamo, 8-1; Crimson Giant, Modesto Linares, 50-1; Wild Dude, Rafael Bejarano, 8-5; Big Macher, Tyler Baze, 5-2; and Cyclometer, Edwin Maldonado, 5-1.