Mucho Macho Man

Mucho Macho Man (foaled June 15, 2008) is a re-

tired American Thoroughbred racehorse notable as the
winner of the 2013 Breeders Cup Classic. He was
foaled in Florida and named after the Village People song
extquotedblMacho Man extquotedbl. His breeders were
Carole and John Rio of Florida, who owned his dam. His
foalhood nickname was extquotedblLazarus extquotedbl
because he appeared lifeless at birth, but spontaneously
revived. He grew to be a very large horse, standing over
17 hands (68 inches, 173 cm) high. Throughout most
of his racing career, Mucho Macho Man was primarily
owned by Dean and Patti Reeves of Reeves Thorough-
bred Racing of Suwanee, Georgia. They purchased a
majority interest in him after his rst race in 2010, and in
2012 became his sole owners. In February 2014, Frank
Stronach purchased an undisclosed share in the horse on
behalf of his Adena Springs Farms, owner of Mucho Ma-
cho Mans sire, Macho Uno. The stallion now lives at
Adena Springs and will stand at stud beginning in the
2015 breeding season.
When Dean and Patti Reeves purchased the horse, they
placed him with horse trainer Tim Ritvo, who shortly
thereafter began a job with Gulfstream Park. Training
duties were turned over to Tims wife and fellow trainer
Kathy Ritvo, who trained Mucho Macho Man from his
fourth race on. His racing career was supported by a
close-knit team, led by Ritvo and the Reeves as well as
Reeves racing manager Finn Green. Mucho Macho Man
was ridden in races by several top jockeys, including Rajiv
Maragh, Ramon Dominguez, Mike Smith, Edgar Prado
and Gary Stevens.
Because Mucho Macho Man was born late in the year for
a Thoroughbred foal, as a growing two- and three-year-
old he had to compete against horses that were several
months older and more mature. He was also very tall,
and as a young racehorse sometimes got in his own way;
as a three-year-old, he stepped on his front feet with his
hind feet and tore o a horseshoe in two dierent races.
In 2011, he competed in all three Triple Crown races,
coming in third in the Kentucky Derby. Following a ve-
month layodue to surgery that addressed a problemwith
his breathing, he returned to the track in November 2011
with a win, won three graded stakes races in 2012, and n-
ished a close second to Fort Larned in that years Breed-
ers Cup Classic.
In 2013, after overcoming a respiratory virus early in the
year, he ran two races on the east coast, nishing third
both times, and then was shipped early to Santa Anita
Park to prepare for that years Breeders Cup. He won
a preparatory race, the Awesome Again Stakes, his sev-
enth win overall and his rst Grade I win. This qualied
him for the 2013 Breeders Cup Classic, which he won,
narrowly defeating Will Take Charge and Declaration of
War. His success earned him the Secretariat Vox Populi
Award and the National Thoroughbred Racing Associa-
tion Moment of the Year as well as two Eclipse Award
nominations and 2013 Florida-bred Horse of the Year.
Sportswriter Steve Haskin, who followed the horses ca-
reer for The Blood-Horse, stated that the saga provided
enough uplifting human interest stories to ll a book.
[6]
Mucho Macho Man returned to the track in January 2014
with a decisive win in the Sunshine Millions Classic, but
after nishing fourth in the Santa Anita Handicap he re-
turned to training. Following the discovery of bruising
on his fetlocks and other signs of wear and tear, but
still essentially sound, he was retired in July 2014.
1 Background
Mucho Macho Man is a bay horse with white markings
that include a star and stripe on his face, a sock on his left
hind leg, and a coronet on his front right leg.
[7]
He stands
over 17 hands (68 inches, 173 cm) high.
[8]
He was sired
by Macho Uno,
[1]
who won the Breeders Cup Juvenile
and was named American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt
in 2000.
[9]
Macho Uno was a son of Hall of Fame cham-
pion Holy Bull.
[10]
Mucho Macho Mans dam is the 2001
Anoakia Stakes winner Ponche de Leona.
[11]
Both sire
and dam were owned by Frank Stronachs Adena Springs
Farms at the time of mating; the pregnant mare was sub-
sequently purchased by John and Carole Rio of Florida,
where Mucho Macho Man was foaled, and thus the Rios
are ocially listed as his breeders.
[12]
Mucho Macho
Man was Ponche de Leonas second foal and was born
extremely late in the foaling season on June 15, 2008;
this meant that as a two- and three-year-old, not yet fully
grown, he had to compete on equal terms with horses who
were as much as ve months older than he.
[13][lower-alpha 1]
Ponche de Leona delivered Mucho Macho Man three
weeks after her due date.
[15]
At birth, the foal was life-
less with no heartbeat. Farm sta tried to revive him
by massaging and shaking him. He was unresponsive for
several minutes, then his eyes opened and he just got
up and galloped away.
[16]
As a result, his foalhood nick-
name was Lazarus.
[17]
In addition to being a late foal, he
was very big and hence slowto reach full development.
[18]
Because the young horse was so tall and skinny, John
1
2 2 RACING CAREER
Rio called him extquotedblMr. Green Jeans extquotedbl,
though no one else did.
[15]
His ocial name is derived
from the Village People song extquotedblMacho Man
extquotedbl,
[13]
and owner Dean Reeves nickname for
him is Macho.
[19]
The Rios sold the horse as a two-year-old to JimCulver of
Dream Team One Racing Stable, keeping an ownership
share for themselves.
[15]
After Mucho Macho Mans rst
race in 2010, a majority share in the colt was purchased
by Dean and Patti Reeves, owners of Reeves Thorough-
bred Racing of Suwanee, Georgia, near Atlanta.
[20][21]
When the Reeves purchased their controlling interest, he
was sent into training with Tim Ritvo, but when Ritvo
was appointed director of racing at Gulfstream Park in
Florida, the conditioning of the colt was turned over to his
wife and fellow trainer, Kathy.
[13]
Jonathan Finn Green
joined the Reeves programas racing manager in Septem-
ber 2011.
[6]
Mucho Macho Man overcame several health issues in
2011 and 2013.
[22]
He had surgery to address a breathing
problem in 2011, and suered from a respiratory virus
and hoof problems, including a quarter crack, in 2013.
[23]
Not only did the horse survive near-death in 2008, so did
Kathy Ritvo, who had a heart transplant in November
2008. She was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in 2001,
limiting her horse training career. By 2008 her condition
deteriorated to the point where she was hospitalized for
several months, and she was near death when an organ
became available. Less than six months after transplant
surgery, she returned to training race horses.
[16]
In a 2011
interview, she compared her own rapid recovery to the
spontaneous recovery of the horse as a foal, and stated,
from the moment I opened my eyes [following surgery],
I felt fantastic. Hes Mucho Macho Man and I'm Macho
Woman.
[24]
The best way to explain him is like its driving a car, you
can drive a nice car slow, but you know you've got a ton
of gas underneath you.
[25]
Nick Petro, Jr.
In 2012, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing bought out Dream
TeamOnes 30-percent interest and became the sole own-
ers of Mucho Macho Man.
[7]
Later, Mike and Laura
Sivo obtained a minority share.
[26]
Also in 2012, the
team added a permanent exercise rider to their roster:
Ritvos nephew, former jockey Nick Petro, Jr. Petro ac-
tually rode Mucho Macho Man more than anyone else.
[25]
A strong support sta also worked consistently with
the horse, including assistant trainer Marcelino Valen-
cia, stable groom, Valietal Tapia, and hot walker Karina
Lopez.
[27]
The horses connections remained unchanged
through 2013. In February 2014, anticipating the stal-
lions future retirement to a stud career after the 2014
season, Adena Springs Farms purchased an interest in
Mucho Macho Man, but he remained in training with
the same team and raced under Reeves colors. Frank
Stronach, noting that Adena arranged the mating between
Macho Uno and Ponche de Leona, described the sale as
a homecoming of sorts.
[12]
Mucho Macho Man was given his basic start under sad-
dle by Carole and John Rio. Still tall and lanky, he was
sent to Bill White for race training, with Carole telling
the trainer, physically this horse is late, but mentally
hes way ahead.
[15]
Throughout his racing career, Mucho
Macho Man has been described as a generally calm horse
with a good temperament,
[15]
a happy horse who likes
his job,
[7]
businesslike and easy to rate.
[19][28]
How-
ever, he disliked being whipped,
[26]
and was notorious
for his dislike of wet conditions, performing poorly when
asked to run in the mud; his worst races were on sloppy
tracks.
[29]
Though viewed as laid back,
[15]
he was gen-
erally very fast out of the starting gate, which caused him
problems twice in his three-year-old season when he tore
o a front horseshoe by stepping on his own front heels
with his hind feet.
[30]
Ritvo said I think hes so excited to
get out of the gate that hes springing before his front feet
are gone.
[31]
His quickness out of the gate, described by
one of his jockeys as akin to that of a Quarter Horse, be-
came an asset once he matured.
[19]
Steve Haskin noted
that the horse was undefeated whenever he had the lead
by the eighth pole but had never won when he did not.
[26]
2 Racing career
2.1 2010: two-year-old season
Mucho Macho Man rst raced at Calder Race Course.
He was scratched by the track veterinarian from the rst
race into which he was entered; he had been slightly
injured when the horse next to him reared and ipped
over in the starting gate.
[26]
He was entered in another
race a week later,
[15]
a maiden race in which he nished
second,
[2]
losing to a colt named Gourmet Dinner.
[32]
After that race, Mucho Macho Man was purchased by
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing.
[15]
Dean and Patti Reeves
had considered purchasing Gourmet Dinner, but Dean
Reeves recalled saying at the time, Call me crazy, but I
like the second horse.
[32]
After the sale, Tim Ritvo took
over the training of Mucho Macho Man from his original
trainer, Bill White.
[32]
The colt came in third at his next
race, at Saratoga in New York state;
[2]
he won his rst
race on September 19, 2010, at Monmouth Park in New
Jersey.
[33]
After that race, the colts training was turned
over to Kathy Ritvo when Tim began working for Gulf-
stream Park.
[7]
In November 2010, Mucho Macho Man
moved up to graded class and nished second behind To
Honor and Serve twice in a row at Aqueduct Racetrack in
New York City, rst in the Nashua Stakes and then in the
Remsen Stakes.
[34][35]
Throughout his two-year-old year
the young horse was easily distracted, so he raced with
blinkers for both White and Ritvo.
[13]
2.3 2012: four-year-old season 3
2.2 2011: three-year-old season
Mucho Macho Man began his second year of racing by
nishing fourth behind winner Dialed In in the Grade III
Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park, and once again n-
ished behind Gourmet Dinner, who was third.
[36]
Mucho
Macho Man was then sent to New Orleans for the Risen
Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds Race Course. Ridden by
Rajiv Maragh, he recorded his rst graded stakes win,
prevailing by one and a half lengths over Santiva.
[37]
Ritvo
took away the blinkers for a workout prior to the race and
kept them o, stating that the colt had matured and was
more at ease without them.
[13][38]
At the Risen Star, he
rst came to the notice of one of his future jockeys, Gary
Stevens, then a sports analyst, who noted the colts calm
demeanor, describing him as a chilled out customer...
very relaxed.
[39]
The next race was the Louisiana Derby,
a major preparatory race for the Kentucky Derby.
[40]
In
that race, he lost his right front horseshoe at the start
[31]
when he grabbed a quartertearing o the shoe and a
bit of his hoof when he stepped on the heel of his front
foot with one of his back feet.
[41]
He nished third behind
Pants on Fire and Nehro.
[40]
Before he was a full 36 calendar months old,
[1]
Mucho
Macho Man contested all three legs of the American
Triple Crown. He nished third to Animal Kingdom and
Nehro in the Kentucky Derby.
[42]
He was described as
having a babyish look prior to the Derby,
[43]
and Ritvo
said that he was still growing,
[13]
but Stevens noted dur-
ing the Derbys television broadcast, when he lls into
this frame, hes going to be a big, powerful horse.
[44]
Mucho Macho Man was sixth behind Shackleford in
the Preakness.
[45]
At the start, he again tore o a shoe,
this time from his left front hoof,
[31]
even though Ritvo
had switched him to glued-on horseshoes.
[30]
The mis-
step may have accounted for his low placing.
[31]
Be-
fore the Belmont, Ritvo brought in a farrier specialist,
who gave the horse custom made glued-on horseshoes
made of a wire-framed synthetic composite and who also
squared o the toes of Mucho Macho Mans hind shoes
to make it harder for him to accidentally step on his front
heels.
[31]
At the Belmont, Ramon Dominguez took over
from Maragh as the colts jockey, and went on to ride
him for a total of ve races.
[2]
That day, the track was
sloppy and the horse ran seventh behind winner Ruler
on Ice.
[46]
After the Belmont, he did not race for several
months because he needed surgery to x a problem with
his breathing.
[23]
In September, Finn Green, a recovering alcoholic with his
own story of triumph over adversity, began working for
Reeves. A knowledgeable horseman, Green insisted that
as a condition of employment he had the right to advo-
cate for what was best for a horse under his management,
even if that meant expressing disagreement and impos-
ing tough love on the owners. He and Ritvo saw eye
to eye on Mucho Macho Man, and they began planning
the colts return to the track.
[6]
After a break of almost
ve months, Mucho Macho Man raced in November and
won an allowance race at Aqueduct, beginning a three-
race winning streak.
[2]
He had lost his babyish look, put
on weight, and as Ritvo put it, His shoulders [caught] up
with his behind.
[47]
Ritvo and Green then mapped out
a 2012 workout and racing schedule for Mucho Macho
Man, intending to run him every six to ten weeks with
recovery time after each race.
[7]
2.3 2012: four-year-old season
For his four-year-old debut, Mucho Macho Man ran
at Gulfstream Park, defeating Ron the Greek in the
Sunshine Millions Classic, a race restricted to horses bred
in Florida or California.
[48]
He had nally grown into his
tall frame.
[29]
Dominguez returned as his jockey and was
pleased with what he saw, saying, You can really tell
how much hes grown up since I rode him in the Bel-
mont. Back then, he was just a big skinny horse that had
a lot of maturing to do. Now he looks like hes grown
up and has everything gured out.
[49]
Dominguez fur-
ther described him as forward out of the gate and said
the race was an easy win.
[50]
He raced again in March,
winning the Grade II Gulfstream Park Handicap by two
lengths.
[51]
In May at Churchill Downs, he nished third
behind Successful Dan and Fort Larned in the Grade II
Alysheba Stakes, carrying top weight of 123 pounds (56
kg) .
[52]
His next race was the Grade II Suburban Handi-
cap at Belmont Park on July 7. Ridden for the rst time
by Mike Smith, who was his jockey for the remainder
of the year, he took the lead in the straight and won by
2.5 lengths.
[53]
It was considered his most signicant win
of the year.
[54]
In the Woodward Stakes at Saratoga on
September 1, he nished second by a neck, having been
pushed toward the outside of the track by the winner, To
Honor and Serve, in the nal furlong.
[55]
On November 3,
Mucho Macho Man was one of twelve horses to contest
the Breeders Cup Classic at Santa Anita in California.
Starting at odds of 61, he was always in the rst two and
nished second, half a length behind Fort Larned. There
was a 6
1

2
-length gap back to the other runners, who in-
cluded Flat Out, Game On Dude, To Honor and Serve,
and Ron The Greek.
[56]
He ended the year seventh in the
nation for total race earnings,
[2]
and tied for thirteenth in
the World Thoroughbred Rankings.
[57]
2.4 2013: ve-year-old season
Mucho Macho Man began his 2013 season by running
again in the Sunshine Millions Classic, but the track was
sloppy, and on this occasion he was pulled up in the
homestretch and placed last in the race.
[58]
As the horse
was not visibly lame, jockey Smith told Ritvo, Its gotta
be something inside.
[59]
Though speculation was that he
simply did not like the wet track,
[29]
shortly thereafter he
was diagnosed with a respiratory virus. He also devel-
oped a quarter crack in his hoof and spent the rest of
4 2 RACING CAREER
the spring recuperating at Fair Hill Training Center in
Maryland.
[23][60]
He works hard every race ... Hes just a blue collar horse
who shows up every time.
[61]
Dean Reeves
In June, he returned to the track. Ridden by Edgar Prado,
he started as the odds-on favorite for the Criminal Type
Stakes at Belmont Park but nished third of the ve run-
ners. On August 3, he nished third to Cross Trac
and Successful Dan in the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga,
with Ron The Greek fourth and Fort Larned fth.
[2]
It was
at this time that his proclivity to win only when in front
at the eighth pole was rst commented upon in the rac-
ing press.
[61]
He was once again entered in the Woodward
Stakes at Saratoga on August 31, but Ritvo scratched him
on the day of the race due to the wet track, described as
a sea of slop.
[62]
Ritvo then moved Mucho Macho Man to Santa Anita
Park almost two months before the Breeders Cup races
because she felt he thrived in California.
[8]
It was a ma-
jor commitment for the horses team, as Ritvo, Green,
Petro, Tapia and Lopez had to leave their home base in
Florida, and Reeves had to cover the expenses. Dean
Reeves said, Everybody has basically put their lives
and their family second to the benet and the best we
can do for Macho.
[29]
The horses next race was the
Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on September
28.
[63]
Because both Smith and Prado had prior riding
commitments, Ritvo and Green decided to contact Gary
Stevens.
[6]
Stevens contribution to the human interest
saga included a comeback in 2013 after having been
forced to retire seven years earlier due to debilitating knee
pain. He also had his own near-death experience, having
survived a major riding accident in 2003.
[26]
In a twist
of serendipity, Stevens agent, Craig O'Brien, came by
the barn to inquire about the horses availability about
the same time Ritvo and Green had decided to see if
Stevens was available.
[6]
Stevens later claimed to be un-
aware of his agents machinations.
[64]
Noting that Stevens
had portrayed Seabiscuit's jockey George Woolf in the
eponymous lm, Ritvo later joked, I was in Hollywood.
How could I not use a lm star? extquotedbl
[18]
In the
course of the Awesome Again, Mucho Macho Man set-
tled behind the leaders before making a bid on the -
nal turn. The horse led by three lengths in the home-
stretch, and accelerated clear of the eld to win eas-
ily by 4
1

2
lengths over Paynter.<ref name= extquot-
edblAwesome Again extquotedblt>Sta (2013-09-28).
Awesome Again Stakes Result (PDF). Equibase. Re-
trieved 2013-12-04.</ref> It was his rst win in 2013
and his rst Grade I stakes win. The victory was also
a win and you're in qualifying race for the Breeders
Cup Classic,
[65]
which included a waiver of the $100,000
entry fee for the Classic.
[29]
On November 2, Mucho Macho Man contested his sec-
Mucho Macho Man (right, leading) winning the 2013 Breeders
Cup Classic
ond Breeders Cup Classic and was the second favorite
at 41 in a strong eld that included Game On Dude (the
favorite), Paynter, Palace Malice, Fort Larned, Will Take
Charge and Flat Out, as well as the European challenger
Declaration of War. The horse broke quickly from the
gate and took the lead, but Stevens decided to settle him
just behind the leaders before going to the outside and
moving to the front on the nal turn. In the closing stages,
he held o two strong late challenges to win by a slim
nose over second-place nisher Will Take Charge and by
a head over third-place nisher, the European contender
Declaration of War.
[66]
After Mucho Macho Mans vic-
tory, the 50-year-old Stevens, winning the Classic for the
rst time after 14 previous attempts,
[67]
said, this was a
tremendous experience to win this race... Its the icing
on the cake of my career.
[68]
Ritvo was credited with
a super job of training the horse.
[17]
In a moment of
synchronicity, actress Elizabeth Banks, who co-starred
with Stevens in Seabiscuit, playing Marcella Howard, pre-
sented the Breeders Cup Classic trophy.
[69]
In December, Mucho Macho Man was awarded the 2013
Secretariat Vox Populi Award, recognizing the struggles
the horse had overcome in reaching success, also noting
the accomplishments of his connections, including trainer
Ritvos success overcoming her own health issues to train
him and Stevens comeback from retirement.
[3]
Dean and
Patti Reeves stated, It is a great honor to think that a
horse with such humble beginnings could intertwine the
lives and stories of so many people, and tug at the heart-
strings of racing fans from all over the world.
[70]
At the
end of 2013, Mucho Macho Man was the number one-
ranked horse for the year in North American purse win-
nings, higher than rivals Will Take Charge and Game On
Dude as well as the other two top ve contenders Orb
and Wise Dan.
[71]
He was also nominated for two Eclipse
Awards, Horse of the Year and Older Male Horse, but
nished second in both categories to Wise Dan.
[72]
The horse had his rebirth and my mom had hers, and
look what they've done with it.
[26]
Michael Ritvo, son of Tim and Kathy Ritvo, after the 2013
Breeders Cup Classic
5
He was named Florida-bred Horse of the Year for 2013,
noting that he was only the third Florida-bred horse to
win the Classic, after Unbridled and Skip Away.
[5]
In the
2013 Worlds Best Racehorse Rankings, Mucho Macho
Man was given a rating of 125, the best horse in the world
running solely on dirt, a ve-way tie as the seventh-best
racehorse in the world, and tied with Animal Kingdom
as the second-best racehorse in North America, behind
Wise Dan.
[73]
His win in the Classic was also selected
as the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Mo-
ment of the Year. Participation in the online polling for
that award, up by more than 50 percent from the previous
year, was believed to be largely due to the popularity of
Mucho Macho Man and the people around him.
[4]
2.5 2014: six-year-old season
In December 2013, Ritvo and Green conrmed that Mu-
cho Macho Man would return to race as a six-year-old,
[74]
and their goal for the horse was to target the Breeders
Cup again.
[75]
Though presumed full-grown, he still had
continued to ll out from the previous year.
[64]
Ritvo an-
nounced that the horse would begin his racing season for a
third time with the Sunshine Millions Classic, if the track
was dry.
[76]
On January 18, 2014, Ritvo and the horse
got a clear day and a fast track. Mucho Macho Man won
the six-horse race by 14 lengths. The eld included his
former nemesis, Gourmet Dinner, who nished fth.
[77]
Stevens returned as his jockey and stated, I geared him
down at the end to try not to overdo it.
[78]
His connections next entered him in the Santa Anita
Handicap, nicknamed the Big 'Cap, on March 8, re-
turning to California rather than shipping him overseas to
run in the $10 million Dubai World Cup later that month,
again stating that they considered it to be best for the
horse.
[79]
With the announcement that Will Take Charge
was also coming to California, the 2014 race became
the most highly anticipated running since the matchup of
Alysheba and Ferdinand in 1988, the only other time that
the previous years Breeders Cup top two nishers re-
turned to challenge one another at the Santa Anita Hand-
icap. Additional interest came from the return of Game
On Dude, who won the Big 'Cap in 2011 and 2013.
[80]
Mucho Macho Man was assigned the highest impost at
124 pounds (56.2 kg). Will Take Charge was assigned
123 pounds (55.8 kg) and Game on Dude, 122 pounds
(55.3 kg).
[81]
Eight horses entered, with Mucho Macho
Man the morning line favorite. Game On Dude, de-
scribed as on re that day, won the race and broke
the stakes record in doing so,
[82]
Will Take Charge was
second,
[83]
but Mucho Macho Man started to lose en-
ergy at the three-eighths pole and nished fourth behind
Blingo.
[82]
Ritvo had no excuses for his nish, noting only
that he had missed a few training days due to rain, and
the extra moisture had also changed the condition of the
Santa Anita track.
[84]
On May 1, 2014, Georgia Gover-
nor Nathan Deal proclaimed Mucho Macho Man Day in
the state of Georgia, recognizing the accomplishments of
the horse and the attention he and his owners brought to
Georgia.
[85]
He returned to Florida for training after the Big 'Cap, but
after performing poorly in a June workout was found to
have some bruising of his fetlocks, and was given lighter
duty.
[86]
On July 15 it was announced that Mucho Macho
Man was ocially retired from racing and would stand at
stud at Adena Springs for the 2015 breeding year.
[87]
In a
further twist of synchronicity, in the same week Stevens
announced he was taking a break from race riding due
to the need for a total knee replacement.
[88]
Ritvo ex-
plained that Mucho Macho Man was sound, but extquot-
edbl[a]fter ve 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.
[89]
3 Racing statistics
Conversions of distance and abbreviations for the owners
are given after the table.
4 Pedigree
Mucho Macho Man is sired by Macho Uno, who stands at
stud at Adena Springs Farms in Kentucky. As of January
2014, Macho Uno had sired 27 stakes winners.
[97]
Be-
sides Mucho Macho Man, they include: Potesta, winner
of the Hollywood Oaks;
[98]
Macho Again; and Wicked
Style. Macho Uno is a son of Holy Bull, who was the 1994
American Horse of the Year,
[99]
and Breeders Cup Clas-
sic winner Awesome Again is a half-brother to Macho
Uno; both horses were out of the mare Primal Force.
[98]
The sire line of Mucho Macho Man traces back to the
1898 Kentucky Derby winner, Plaudit. Because Ma-
cho Uno carries no lines to stallions Northern Dancer,
Seattle Slew, Hail to Reason, or In Reality, who com-
monly appear in Thoroughbred pedigrees, he is valued
as a near-total outcross for most Thoroughbred mares in
North America.
[99]
Mucho Macho Mans dam is stakes-winning Ponche de
Leona, whose pedigree is not particularly well known.
[99]
Her sire, Ponche, won ve stakes races
[100]
and sired ve
stakes winners. Her dam won one race in 19 starts.
[99]
Mucho Macho Man thus has very little linebreeding;
only a 44 cross to the sire Mr. Prospector, meaning
that this horse appears twice in the fourth generation of
his pedigree.
[1]
Ponche de Leona was purchased at the
Keeneland sale in November 2007 by John and Carole
Rio for $33,000 when in foal with Mucho Macho Man,
the relatively low price partly owing to having been bred
late in the year; late foals are dicult to sell. However,
6 6 REFERENCES
by November 2011, after the success of Mucho Macho
Man in his three-year-old year, and in foal to Macho Uno
again, the Rios resold her at Keeneland for $300,000.
[98]
Following Mucho Macho Mans Breeders Cup win in
2013, and having also produced the stakes-placed Mucho
Mans Gold, she was again sold at the Keeneland January
2014 sale, this time in foal to Distorted Humor, bring-
ing $775,000.
[101]
In 2013, she was named Florida brood-
mare of the year by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders
and Owners Association.
[5]
5 Notes
[1] For ocial racing purposes, all Thoroughbreds are con-
sidered a year older on January 1 in North America, re-
gardless of actual foaling date.
[14]
6 References
[1] Sta (2012-05-08). Mucho Macho Man Pedigree.
Equineline. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
[2] Sta. Mucho Macho Man, Horse Prole & Statistics.
Equibase. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
[3] Sta (2013-12-26). Vox Populi Award Goes to Mucho
Macho Man. Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
[4] Classic Win is Voted 'Moment of the Year' extquotedbl.
Blood-Horse. 2014-01-17. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
[5] Sta (2014-03-10). Mucho Macho Man Floridas Horse
of the Year. Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2014-03-11.
[6] Finn Green Another Classic Comeback Story. Blood-
Horse. 2013-11-26. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
[7] Kane, Mike (2012-08-28). Mucho Macho Man Ready
for Woodward. Hudson Valley TWC News. Retrieved
2014-01-23.
[8] Rees, Jennie (2013-10-17). Breeders Cup: Mucho Ma-
cho Mans Work Has Gary Stevens Jazzed. The Courier-
Journal (Louisville, Kentucky). Retrieved 2013-11-03.
[9] Conley, Ryan (2001-01-31). Stronach runs away with
two Eclipses. Star-Banner (Ocala, Florida). p. 1. Re-
trieved 2013-12-30.
[10] Holy Bull Prole: National Museum of Racing, Hall of
Fame. National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
Retrieved 2013-12-30.
[11] Sta. Ponche de Leona (PDF). Keeneland. Retrieved
2013-12-08.
[12] Novak, Clarie (2014-02-21). Adena Buys Interest in
Mucho Macho Man. Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2014-02-
21.
[13] Haskin, Steve (2011-03-22). Mucho Macho Man a Gift
of the Heart. Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
[14] Sta (2014). The American Stud Book Principal Rules
and Requirements Section III, Glossary of Terms. The
Jockey Club Registry. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
[15] Haskin, Steve (2011-04-25). Ky. Derby Trail: Macho
Man Was Born to Run. Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2014-
01-12.
[16] Dwyre, Bill (2013-09-20). Life is Good for Mucho Ma-
cho Man Trainer Kathy Ritvo. Los Angeles Times. Re-
trieved 2013-11-03.
[17] Dwyre, Bill (2013-11-02). Breeders Cup Classic Pro-
duces Improbable Story. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved
2013-11-11.
[18] Jicha, Tom (2013-11-07). Kathy Ritvo, Mucho Ma-
cho Man Make Triumphant Return to Gulfstream. Sun-
Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Florida). Retrieved 2013-12-
20.
[19] Rees, Jennie (2013-11-02). Mucho Macho Man Gives
Stevens, Ritvo First Classic Win. USA Today (McLean,
Virginia). Retrieved 2013-12-20.
[20] Contact Us. Reeves Thoroughbred Racing. Retrieved
2014-030-13.
[21] Gray, Ed (2013-11-01). Kathy Ritvo Takes All Stress in
Stride. Boston Herald. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
[22] Rees, Jennie (2013-11-03). Classic Win Caps Magic
Month for Ritvo, Mucho Macho Man. USA Today
(McLean, Virginia). Retrieved 2013-12-20.
[23] Ritvo Counts Her Blessings After Classic Win. Blood-
Horse. 2013-11-03. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
[24] McKee, Sandra (2011-05-11). Trainer Kathy Ritvo is
Every Bit as Macho as Her Preakness horse. Baltimore
Sun. Retrieved 2014-03-13.
[25] Sta (2014-01-16). Petro Looking Forward to Mucho
Macho Mans Return. The Handicappers Edge. Brisnet.
Retrieved 2014-01-17.
[26] Haskin, Steve (2013-11-04). Haskins Classic Recap:
Macho Grande. Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
[27] BC Classic: Team Eort Goes Into Mucho Macho
Mans Preparation (Press release). Paulick Report. 2013-
10-31. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
[28] HRTV, 20:03.
[29] Rees, Jeannie (2013-10-27). Breeders Cup: Mucho Ma-
cho Mans Camp All in for Classic. The Courier-Journal
(Louisville, Kentucky). Retrieved 2014-03-14.
[30] HRTV, 5:27.
[31] Drape, Joe (2011-06-01). Shoes Could Make Dierence
for Mucho Macho Man. The New York Times. Retrieved
2014-03-14.
[32] Haskin, Steve (2014-01-16). Gourmet Dinner, Macho
Man Reunion. Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2014-01-19.
7
[33] Sta. Monmouth Park September 19, 2010 Race 7
(PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
[34] Sta. Aqueduct November 6, 2010 Race 6 (PDF).
Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
[35] Sta. Aqueduct November 27, 2010 Race 7 (PDF).
Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
[36] Sta. Gulfstream January 30, 2011 Race 10 (PDF).
Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
[37] Sta(2011-02-19). Risen Star Stakes (PDF). Equibase.
Retrieved 2013-12-03.
[38] Welsch, Mike (2011-02-12). Mucho Macho Man Works
Five Furlongs, Will Shed Blinkers for Risen Star. Daily
Racing Form. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
[39] HRTV, 1:33.
[40] Sta (2011-03-26). Louisiana Derby (PDF). Equibase.
Retrieved 2013-12-02.
[41] HRTV, 2:16.
[42] Sta (2011-05-07). Churchill Downs May 7, 2011
Race 11 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
[43] HRTV, 3:45.
[44] HRTV, 3:10.
[45] Sta (2011-05-21). Pimlico May 21, 2011 Race 12
(PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
[46] Sta (2011-06-11). Belmont Stakes Chart (PDF).
Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
[47] HRTV, 7:22.
[48] Sta (2012-01-28). GulfstreamPark January 28, 2012
Race10 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
[49] Shulman, Lenny (2013-11-02). Mucho Macho Man
Too Tough in Millions Classic. Blood-Horse. Retrieved
2013-11-03.
[50] HRTV, 7:03.
[51] Sta (2012-03-10). Gulfstream Park March 10, 2012
Race 8 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-06.
[52] Sta (2012-03-10). Churchill Downs May 4, 2012
Race 9 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-06.
[53] Sta (2012-07-07). Belmont Park, July 7, 2012 Race
9 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
[54] Welsch, Mike (2013-11-16). Mucho Macho Man
Comfortable in Familiar Gulfstream Park Surroundings.
Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 2014-03-14.
[55] Sta(2012-09-01). Saratoga, September 1, 2012 Race
10 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
[56] Sta (2012-11-03). Santa Anita, November 3, 2012
Race 12 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
[57] Sta. World Thoroughbred Rankings. International
Federation of Horseracing Authorities. Retrieved 2014-
01-12.
[58] Sta (2013-01-19). Gulfstream Park, January 19, 2013
Race 10 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
[59] HRTV, 14:35.
[60] Hovdey, Jay (2014-01-08). 2013 Eclipse Awards: Mu-
cho Macho Man. Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 2014-
01-09.
[61] Haskin, Steve (2013-08-27). Eighth Pole Key for Mucho
Macho Man. Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2014-01-23.
[62] Welsch, Mike (2013-08-31). Woodward: Mucho Macho
Man Scratches, Will Race in California. Daily Racing
Form. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
[63] Awesome Again Stakes Result. Racing Post. 2013-09-
29. Retrieved 2013-11-03.
[64] Ross, Daniel (2014-03-08). extquotedbl'Sick Bastard,
Ain't I?' Gary Stevens Keeps Focus on King of All Come-
backs. The Guardian (UK). Retrieved 2014-03-07.
[65] Shinar, Jack (2013-09-28). Awesome Again: Mucho
Macho Man Flexes Muscles. Blood-Horse. Retrieved
2013-11-03.
[66] Breeders Cup Classic Result. Racing Post. 2013-11-02.
Retrieved 2013-11-03.
[67] Wilson, Art (2013-11-03). Gary Stevens Gets High
Praise for Winning Breeders Cup Classic Ride. Los An-
geles Daily News. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
[68] Shinar, Jack (2013-11-03, 2013). Stevens, Mucho Ma-
cho Man Capture BC Classic. Blood-Horse. Retrieved
2013-11-03.
[69] Olivier, Ellen (2013-11-04). Elizabeth Banks Presents
Final Trophy at Breeders Cup. Los Angeles Times. Re-
trieved 2013-11-24.
[70] Sta (2013-12-26). Mucho Macho Man Wins 'Vox Pop-
uli' Award. USA Today (McLean, Virginia). Retrieved
2013-12-27.
[71] Sta. Horse Racing Statistics. Equibase. Retrieved
2013-12-30.
[72] Novak, Claire (2014-01-18). Horse of the Year Wise
Dan Repeats Sweep. Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2014-01-
19.
[73] Longines Worlds Best Racehorse Rankings 2013. In-
ternational Federation of Horseracing Authorities. Jan-
uary 2014. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
[74] Welsch, Mike (2013-12-23). Gulfstream: Mucho Ma-
cho Man Will Race in 2014. Daily Racing Form. Re-
trieved 2013-12-27.
[75] Mucho Macho Man to Stay in Training for 2014 Season.
Gulfstream Park. 2013-12-04. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
8 8 EXTERNAL LINKS
[76] Shinar, Jack (2014-01-10). Mucho Macho Man Headed
to Sunshine Millions. Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2014-10-
12.
[77] Sta (2014-01-18). Gulfstream Park, January 18, 2014
Race 10 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
[78] Spencer, Clark (2014-01-19). Gary Stevens, Mucho Ma-
cho Man Romp to a Dominant Win in Sunshine Millions
Classic. The Miami Herald (Miami, Florida). Retrieved
2014-01-19.
[79] Welsch, Mike (2014-02-15). Gulfstream Park: Mucho
Macho Man Will Skip World Cup and Point to Santa
Anita Handicap. Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 2014-
02-17.
[80] Wilson, Art (2014-03-05). Mucho Macho Man is
Morning-line Favorite After Big 'Cap Draw. Los Angeles
Daily News. Retrieved 2014-03-05.
[81] Mucho Macho Man Assigned 124-pound High Weight in
Big 'Cap (Press release). Paulick Report. 2013-10-17.
Retrieved 2014-03-03.
[82] Shinar, Jack (2014-03-08). Game On Dude Captures
Record Third Big 'Cap. Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2014-
03-11.
[83] Sta (2014-03-08). Santa Anita Park, March 8, 2014
Race 9 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2014-03-08.
[84] Schedule Being Formulated for Mucho Macho Man.
The Miami Herald (Miami, Florida). Sports Network.
2014-03-14. Retrieved 2014-03-17.
[85] Estep, Tyler (2014-05-01). Gov. Deal proclaims 'Mu-
cho Macho Man Day' in honor of Suwanee-owned horse.
Gwinnett Daily Post. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
[86] Sta (2014-06-14). Mucho Macho Man Recovering
From Bruised Ankles. Paulick Report. Retrieved 2014-
07-06.
[87] Chris Humpleby (July 15, 2014). USA Classic winner
Mucho Macho Man retired. Bloodstock.racingpost.com.
Retrieved 2014-07-16.
[88] Privman, Jay (2014-07-18). Stevenss knee injury worse
than initially thought. Daily Racing Form. Retrieved
2014-07-21.
[89] Hammonds, Evan (2014-07-15). Mucho Macho Man
Retired, to Stand at Adena. Blood-Horse. Retrieved
2014-07-21.
[90] Sta. Calder May 17, 2012 Race 9 (PDF).
Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
[91] Sta. Saratoga August 21, 2010 Race 2 (PDF).
Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-01.
[92] Sta (2011-11-09). Allowance Optional Claiming
(PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
[93] Sta (2013-06-14). Belmont Park June 14, 2013
Race 3 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
[94] Sta (2013-08-03). Saratoga August 3, 2013 Race
10 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
[95] Sta (2013-09-28). Santa Anita September 28, 2013
Race 10 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
[96] Sta (2013-11-02). Santa Anita November 2, 2013
Race 12 (PDF). Equibase. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
[97] Sta. Stallion Register Online. Equineline. Retrieved
2014-01-17.
[98] Mitchell, Frank (2012-07-10). The Lanes End Week-
ender Pedigree: Mucho Macho Man. Paulick Report.
Retrieved 2014-01-17.
[99] Hunter, Avalyn (2011-02-23). Mucho Macho Man, Mu-
cho Magnico. Blood-Horse. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
[100] Sta. Ponche (ON) Horse Prole & Statistics.
Equibase. Retrieved 2014-01-21.
[101] Dam of Mucho Macho Man Leads Day 2 of Keeneland
January Sale (Press release). Paulick Report. 2014-01-
07. Retrieved 2014-01-17.
7 Sources
HRTV Presents Mucho Macho Man (online video).
HRTV.com. 2013-12-29. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
8 External links
Ocial web site
Story about how Gary Stevens obtained the mount
on Mucho Macho Man
9
9 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses
9.1 Text
Mucho Macho Man Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mucho_Macho_Man?oldid=628060454 Contributors: Bearcat, Pigsonthewing,
Discospinster, MONGO, The Rambling Man, Rsrikanth05, Nikkimaria, SmackBot, Deli nk, Ceoil, Montanabw, Mojo Hand, Johnpack-
lambert, Froggerlaura, Katharineamy, Bcp67, Phil Bridger, Dolphin51, Finetooth, Tigerboy1966, Dana boomer, RexxS, Legobot, Yobot,
AnomieBOT, Sketchmoose, FrescoBot, Craiglduncan, Gerda Arendt, Mean as custard, Faolin42, Csr326, Stellabystarlight, Jsayre64, Clue-
Bot NG, Baseball Watcher, RachelAlexandraFan, MusikAnimal, S31415926535, BattyBot, SFGMary, TFA Protector Bot, Eric Corbett,
D Eaketts, Pattiannreeves, Amortias, Bammie73, Nbenoit1960, Egrieveson, Damiancollins26 and Anonymous: 24
9.2 Images
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Classic.png License: CC-BY-3.0 Contributors: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVwm9M89Q2Q Retour fracassant de Gary Stevens
dans la Breeders Cup Classic 2013 Original artist: FranceSire TV
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artist: ?
File:Mucho_Macho_Man_at_2013_Breeders_Cup.jpg Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Mucho_
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fracassant de Gary Stevens dans la Breeders Cup Classic 2013 Original artist: FranceSire TV
9.3 Content license
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