Mucho Macho Man loosens up at Santa Anita

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Arcadia, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Thursday was a time to stretch the legs for Breeders' Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man as he trains for the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap on Saturday, March 8.

Trained by Kathy Ritvo, Mucho Macho Man took a gallop twice around Santa Anita's training track. The 6-year-old already has two wins and a second on the main track of the Los Angeles-area oval.

"We haven't had any bumps in the road getting here," said Finn Green, racing manager for owners Dean and Patti Reeves and Frank Stronach. The horse arrived Sunday from Florida.

"We're dealing with the rain as it comes," Green added. "We'll be flexible (on a workout) based on the weather, and we'll move it further out instead of trying to get something in on a questionable track. We'll wait for the track. But you can tell the track's being well-tended to."

Mucho Macho Man won the Sunshine Classic at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 18 by 14 lengths one year after failing to finish the race. That was his first start since winning the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 2.

He won the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 28 and finished second in the 2012 Classic at the track behind Fort Larned.

The 6-year-old has earned $5.58 million in 24 starts with nine victories.