Tommy Macho Flexes His Muscles in the Discovery

Paul Pompa’s TOMMY MACHO (Macho Uno), a latest third to Frosted (Tapit) in the GII Pennsylvania Derby at Parx Sept. 19, was able to sit a soft trip just off flank of favored Ocean Knight (Curlin), for the opening seven furlongs of Wednesday’s GIII Discovery H. at Aqueduct, took it to the Stonestreet runner at the head of the lane and finished with good energy to give trainer Todd Pletcher his sixth victory in the event and second in succession following the exploits of Protonico (Giant’s Causeway) last year. Madefromlucky (Lookin at Lucky) earned second ahead of a weakening Ocean Knight in third.

A debut third at odds of 81-1 for All American Horses at Gulfstream ParkFeb. 21, the $25,000 Fasig-Tipton October graduate graduated at Belmont May 2, with Pompa as part of the ownership. The bay defeated subsequent GII Indiana Derby winner Tiz Shea D (Tiznow) and future Curlin S. hero Smart Transition (Smart Strike) in a Belmont S. Day allowance June 6, but could do no better than third to ‘TDN Rising Star’ Speightster (Speightstown) and Texas Red (Afleet Alex) in the July 4 GIII Dwyer S. Never a factor when seventh behind stablemate Madefromlucky in the GII West Virginia Derby Aug. 1, he bounced back with a solid third in the Pennsylvania Derby, albeit 10 lengths adrift of the winner.

“He’s a horse that’s continued to train well,” Pletcher commented. “He’s developed physically into a stronger fall 3-year-old than he was in the spring and you always like to see that. He’s trained extremely well coming into this and he’s run well fresh. We’ve kind of been targeting this for a little while. It didn’t hurt our feelings when it came up wet, he’s got a big wet track pedigree. I thought he worked out a really good trip.

Pletcher continued, “We felt like Ocean Knight was the horse to beat and was the main pace in the race, and we didn’t want to allow him to walk the dog up front. So we felt like Tommy Macho’s running style would hopefully, if he broke well, put him in a position to keep some pressure on the favorite. I thought Madefromlucky probably would’ve appreciated a little better post position than he got. It seemed like he lost some momentum in the far turn and once he found some clearance, he came on again down the lane.

Seven months after his April 2012 foaling, Starstream, the dam of Tommy Macho, was sold in foal to Street Sense for $45,000 at the Keeneland November sale. That produce, a May-foaled filly now named Astaria Street, was sold for $35,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale. Starstream got the following year off, produced a colt by Super Saver this past April and was bred back to Majesticperfection in the current breeding season. Interestingly, Tommy Macho is inbred 2×3 to Primal Force, the dam of Macho Uno and Awesome Again.

Wednesday, Aqueduct
DISCOVERY H.-GIII, $150,000, AQU, 11-11, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:51.67, sy.
1–#@TOMMY MACHO, 118, c, 3, by Macho Uno
1st Dam: Starstream, by Awesome Again
2nd Dam: Dominique’s Slew, by Seattle Slew
3rd Dam: Winnetka, by Theatrical (Ire)
($25,000 Ylg ’13 FTKOCT). O-Paul P. Pompa, Jr. & All American
Horses LLC; B-John Liviakis (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Javier
Castellano. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-0-3, $363,050.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”war-horse-place”][bullet ad=”albina-private-purchase”] 2–Madefromlucky, 122, c, 3, Lookin At Lucky–Home From Oz, by
Pulpit. ($70,000 Ylg ’13 KEESEP; $150,000 2yo ’14 OBSMAR).
O-Cheyenne Stables LLC & Mac Nichol; B-RMF Thoroughbreds
(KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $30,000.[bullet ad=”crupi-trained”] 3–Ocean Knight, 119, c, 3, Curlin–Ocean Goddess, by Stormy
Atlantic. ($320,000 2yo ’14 OBSMAR). O-Stonestreet Stables
LLC; B-Thor-Bred Stables, LLC (KY); T-Kiaran P. McLaughlin.
$15,000.[bullet ad=”nick-de-meric-consigned-by-de-meric-sales”] Margins: 4 1/4, 1, NK. Odds: 3.65, 2.40, 1.70.
Also Ran: Smart Transition, First Spark, Total Joint, Made in Detroit. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.