Mucho Macho Man Stakes possible for Santiamen

Cairoli Racing Stable’s Santiamen captured Thursday’s featured third race at Gulfstream Park, stamping himself as a candidate for the Jan. 6 Mucho Macho Man Stakes with his second victory in two career starts.

“The next start will be more distance,” said trainer Antonio Sano, noting that the Mucho Macho Man, a one-turn mile for newly turned 3-year-olds, is a possible target. “The horse is a good horse.”

The Antonio Sano-trained 2-year-old colt, who had debuted with a 6 ¾-length triumph at Gulfstream Park West Nov. 24, had to work for the win Thursday in the six-furlong optional claiming allowance. The 3-10 favorite in a field of five juveniles stalked the pace before being asked for his run by jockey Tyler Gaffalione leaving the turn into the homestretch. Stablemate Empire Power, a more seasoned son of Bodemeister, took over the lead from tiring pacesetter Gone Fishing at the top of the stretch and provided a very strong stretch foe for the favorite under strong handling from Edgard Zayas.

Santiamen took the lead in mid-stretch and held off Empire Power by a half-length, completing six furlongs in 1:10.17.

Like the Sano-trained Gunnevera, a multiple graded-stakes winner who is scheduled to run in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Jan. 27, Santiamen is a son of Dialed In.

“I’m very excited about this colt. He shows a lot of potential. He’s still green; he’s still learning. He has such raw potential. We’re just getting to the bottom of it now,” Gaffalione said. “He does whatever you ask from him. You can take him back, and when you ask him, he turns it on. He should have a nice future ahead of him. I think he’ll cover more ground, definitely.”