‘Maturing’ Mucho Gusto bound for Haskell Invitational
After Mucho Gusto burned out on the lead last March in the Sunland Derby (G3), trainer Bob Baffert seemed to lower expectations for the 3-year-old colt, avoiding the Triple Crown in favor of lower-level races back home in California.
The son of Mucho Macho Man, however, won both the Lazaro Barrera (G3) and Affirmed (G3) with relative ease. His trajectory has changed, especially after Mucho Gusto took his last start when rating off the pace.
“I think it’s very important,” Baffert said of relaxing behind the leader. “He can’t just go out there like we saw at Sunland Park. He was in the one hole. There was no other way to go, so they went really, really fast, and he just fell apart there at the top of the stretch.
“He’s come back, and he’s got two solid races. He’s never run a bad race. He’s been very consistent.”
And should that form hold up in morning breezes — Mucho Gusto drilled six furlongs in 1:13.60 on Thursday morning at Santa Anita Park — he’ll be bound for the July 20 Haskell Invitational (G1).
“On horses like this,” the Hall of Famer said, “when they’re doing well, sometimes you’ll swing for the fences in this type of race — a million dollars, Grade 1.”
While 52 horses were invited to this year’s Haskell by Monmouth Park officials, the prospective field is quite top-heavy. It starts with Maximum Security, the disqualified Kentucky Derby winner and includes King for a Day, the horse who defeated him in last month’s Pegasus Stakes, as well as Joevia, third in the Belmont Stakes.
“He’s a horse where we’re trying to get a piece,” Baffert said of Mucho Gusto. “I think he’s maturing. He was sort of a late foal.”
Born April 26, Mucho Gusto has never missed the board, making that aforementioned Sunland Derby third his worst career finish. In all, he’s 5-1-1 in seven starts with the other defeat — similarly, after fading from the pace in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) — to stablemate Improbable. That one went on to go off as the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes favorite.
Improbable has returned to the work tab following a freshening, but it’s too soon for Baffert to consider a comeback spot. Mucho Gusto defeated another of the barn’s top 3-year-olds, Roadster, in the Affirmed.
A decision also pends as far as Game Winner’s prep for the Aug. 24 Travers (G1). Baffert said he could enter the July 13 Los Alamitos Derby (G3); train straight into the Travers; or, if for some reason Maximum Security bypasses the Haskell, run a second contender there. Maximum Security and Game Winner are both campaigned by Gary and Mary West.