Pedigree Look: Mucho Macho Man

Name: Mucho Macho Man
Year Born: 2008
Color: Bay
Sex: Horse
Sire: Macho Uno
Dam: Ponche de Leona
Broodmare Sire: Ponche

Profile: You could say that Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno) has been surrounded by miracles almost his entire life. See he was born basically dead on June 15, 2008 and has been surprising people ever since. One would think that he would be unraced at 2 due to his late birhtday, but he made his first start at Calder in July of 2010 where he finished second to future Delta Jackpot winner Gourmet Dinner. Soon afterwards, he was partially bought and moved from William White to Tim Ritvo. It would take him two more tries before he broke his maiden at Monmouth (in that maiden breaker he defeated Pants On Fire (who I'll talk about later in the post) and future BC Dirt Mile winner Tapizar). Soon after his win though, Tim took a job at Gulfstream Park. Thus he needed another new trainer. However, this time he didn't change barns as Tim's wife Kathy had taken over. Just two years before Kathy had recieved a heart transplant after she was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. Mucho finished his 2yo season with two runner up finishes in the Nashua and Remsen behind To Honor and Serve.

His three year old season started with a 4th place finish in the Holy Bull. He then headed to the Fair Grounds where he won the Risen Star before finishing 3rd in the LA Derby behind Pants On Fire. After finishing third behind Animal Kingdom in the KY Derby he would finish 6th behind Shackleford in the Preakness and 7th behind Ruler On Ice in the Belmont. That last race was just days before his actual third birthday and he would miss the summer and major fall races before returning in an Allowance race at Aqueduct which he won.

Four year old season started off with two wins at Gulfstream in the Sunshine Millions Classic and Gulfstream Park Handicap. He then finished third in the Alysheba behind Successful Dan (whose little brother Wise Dan won HOY honors) and Fort Larned. He would then pick up a win at Belmont in the Suburban where he would finally defeat his longtime nemesis To Honor and Serve, however the glory would be short lived as in his next race he would once again be defeated by THAS, this time in the Woodward at Saratoga. His final race of the year would be the Breeders' Cup Classic where he finished second to Fort Larned and finish in front of the likes of Flat Out, To Honor and Serve, Game On Dude and Ron the Greek. That marked the third year in a row where his then jockey Mike Smith had finished either first or second in the biggest race of the year for 3yo and up.

Five year old campaign didn't start according to plan as he was eased in the slop at Gulfstream in his Sunshine Millions defense. He would then finish third in the Criminal Type at Belmont before finishing third in the Whitney on Saratoga's 150th birthday. Then it was off to Santa Anita where he was so close the year before in the Classic and took down the Awesome Again defeating Paynter. Finally it was a return to the Classic with Gary Stevens (who had unretired earlier this year and was also aboard for the AA win) in the irons, Mucho was able to hold off the Travers winner and future Clark winner Will Take Charge in a photo finish. His win made Kathy Ritvo the first woman to train a Classic winner and only the fifth female trainer overall to win a Breeders' Cup race. Mucho Macho Man will be returning next year as a six year old to have to chance to join Tiznow as the only back to back Breeders' Cup Classic winners. Here is his Classic win:



Mucho Macho Man picked up nominations for Horse of the Year and Older Male for this year's Eclipse. He also won the Vox Populi Award. He will start his six year old campaign this upcoming Saturday in the Sunshine Millions Classic.

Note: Kathy's older brothers trainer Mike and jockey Nick Petro have raced at my hometrack Delaware Park for quite awhile now.

Sire

Macho Uno (Holy Bull) is a BC winner himself winning the Juvenile in 2000 and was also the Champion 2yo that same season. He would also pick up wins in the PA Derby and Mass. Handicap in his career. As a sire his best foals include G1 winner Macho Again (who was second to Big Brown in the 08 Preakness and gave Rachel Alexandra all she could handle before finishing 2nd to her in the 09 Woodward), G2 winner Macho Macho, as well as G3 winner in Panama and G1 winner in the States Private Zone.

Holy Bull (Great Above) won 13 of his 16 starts and made over $2 million in his career. He was named the 1994 Horse of the Year and 3yo colt. Along the way the races he won included the Futurity, Florida Derby, Bluegrass, Met Mile, Haskell, Travers and Woodward along with several other stakes races (sadly in his final race, the 1995 Donn he was a DNF, the winner that day was an up and comer who had won the NYRA Mile... Cigar). Holy Bull entered the Hall of Fame in 2001 and as a sire he has several successful foals. His most famous is 2005 KY Derby winner Giacomo (who was ridden by his regular rider Mike Smith), he also has G1 winners Bishop Court Hill, Confessional, and G2 winner Woke Up Dreamin. His dam Sharon Brown (Al Hattab) won 3 times in her 32 start career. Other then Holy Bull, she is the dam to stakes winner Winnie D (Crafty Prospector).

Macho is out of Primal Force (Blushing Groom (FR)) who won 4 of her eight starts. As a dam she also has 1998 Classic winner Awesome Again (Deputy Minister). Her dam Prime Prospect (Mr. Prospector) was a stakes winner. While Primal was her winningest foal, her highest earner was Glimmer of Gold (Slew O Gold) who is the dam to G3 winner Miss Ra He Ra (Rahy) who in turn is the dam to G2 placed Dancing Band (Dixieland Band).

Dam

Ponche de Leona (Ponche) is a stakes winner with eight wins in 38 starts in her career. Other then MMM, she is the dam to stakes placed Mucho Mans Gold (Gottcha Gold).

Ponche (Two Punch) is G3 placed and raced for the legendary Tartan Stable (in a little bit of a twist Tartan's owner William McKnight was the chairman for 3M, one of MMM's owners Patti Reeves used to work for 3M). Other then Leona, he is the sire to G2 placed Spensive and stakes winner Rebecca's Charm. His dam Street Ballet (Nijinsky) is G1 placed. This makes him a 1/2 brother to Japan Cup Dirt winner Fleetstreet Dancer (Smart Strike) and G2 placed in Ireland Street Rebel (Robellino). This is the same female family as KY Oaks winner Native Street (Native Dancer) and G1 winner River Special (Riverman).

Leona's dam Perfect and Proud (Nonparrell) won once in her career. Leona is her best foal win wise and money wise. By far Mucho Macho Man is the most successful horse from his female family.