Big 'Cap Next For Mucho Macho Man

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno) will return to the site of his GI Breeders' Cup Classic triumph and make his next start in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 8, his connections announced yesterday. “There were some great opportunities for him, but the horse is telling us he's getting ready now,” trainer Kathy Ritvo said. “We thought long and hard about where to go, and we have to do what we feel is best for the horse. I think he'd run well wherever he went. We know about going to Santa Anita now, so it's nice to go back.” A 14-length winner of the Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream last out Jan. 18, Mucho Macho Man was also under consideration for the G1 Dubai World Cup Mar. 29. “The people in Dubai have been very kind and professional,” Finn Green, racing manager for Dean and Patti Reeves, said. “We examined our options over a long period of time, and feel it's the best thing for the horse to stay here and go to Santa Anita.” He continued, “It came down to what it's always been with Kathy and I and what we feel was best for the horse. With a horse like him, you have to look at all of your options. At this stage in his career, there's business considerations that you have to examine. The business considerations came out that it's best to keep the horse here.” The 6-year-old, who also won Santa Anita's GI Awesome Again S. last September and who was second in the track-and-trip Breeders' Cup Classic in 2012, will likely be joined in the Big Cap by 2013 champion 3-year-old Will Take Charge (Unbridled's Song), who came just a nose short of Mucho Macho Man in the Classic. Mucho Macho Man recorded a five-furlong bullet work at Gulfstream Saturday, stopping the timer in :58.14 under regular exercise rider Nick Petro. “He did it nice and easy, too,” Ritvo said. “The track was fast, but he just did it easy. He's a happy horse. He's just doing really, really well right now.” Mucho Macho Man will ship to California after working again next weekend.