Mucho Macho Man Retired to Adena
Last term’s GI Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno–Ponche de Leona, by Ponche) has been retired from racing and will stand the 2015 breeding season at Adena Springs Farm in Paris, KY. His stud fee will be announced at a later date.
Bred in Florida by John and Carole Rio, Mucho Macho Man was campaigned for the majority of his career by Dean and Patti Reeves and trained by Kathy Ritvo. The 6-year-old retired with a record of 25-9-5-6 and earnings of $5,625,410. Winner of the 2011 GII Risen Star S., the Kathy Ritvo pupil was third in that year’s GI Kentucky Derby. In 2012, the strapping bay captured the Florida Sunshine Millions Classic, the GII Gulfstream Park H. and Belmont’s GII Suburban H. before finishing a valiant second to Fort Larned (E Dubai) in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita. Mucho Macho Man captured the GI Awesome Again S. in Arcadia last September before scoring a thrilling nose victory over eventual 3-year-old champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled’s Song) in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He kicked off this term with a 14-length score in the Sunshine Millions Classic Jan. 18, and had last been seen finishing fourth in a strong renewal of the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 8.
“Mucho Macho Man was so tough and genuine,” said Ritvo, who became the first female trainer to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic last year. “He gave his all every time. After five seasons of training and racing, he shows signs of some minor wear and tear. He is still sound and happy, but we have decided that it is in his best interests to retire him. He has nothing more to prove to any of us.”
Dean Reeves added, “Mucho Macho Man gave Patti and our team enormous pleasure. He has generated so many fans, both in the state of Georgia and nationwide. We are extremely excited about him joining the star-studded roster at Adena Springs, and look forward to supporting him as a stallion and racing his progeny.”
Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs–which also stands Stronach homebred and champion juvenile Macho Uno–purchased an interest in Mucho Macho Man in February of this year for both racing breeding. The operation already stands four other Breeders’ Cup Classic winners: Alphabet Soup, Awesome Again, Fort Larned and Ghostzapper. Adena Springs was responsible for the breeding of Mucho Macho Man’s dam Ponche de Leona and sold her with Mucho Macho Man in utero in 2007. Ponche de Leona most recently sold to Brushwood Stable for $775,000 in foal to Distorted Humor at this year’s Keeneland January sale.
“The Breeders’ Cup Classic is a true Championship race, and a forecaster of the industry’s future top sires,” Stronach commented. “Mucho Macho Man campaigned against the best every year ages two through six, and consistently excelled around two turns on the dirt. He will be an important addition to our roster.”