Although not an official Road to the Kentucky Derby series event, the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man S. on Monday figures to have some impact on future series events held at Gulfstream Park, which includes the Holy Bull (G3), Fountain of Youth (G2), and Florida Derby (G1). The one-mile test for newly turned three-year-olds has attracted a field of eight, all of whom are seeking their first stakes victories.
Otello, a Curlin colt who won on debut over a one-turn mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 24, figures to be among the betting favorites for trainer Christophe Clement. A more dominant last-out maiden scorer is No More Time, who won over the track and distance by 6 3/4 lengths when last seen on Oct. 22.
Entering with some prior stakes experience is First World War, who graduated on the turf and then finished second in the Bourbon (G2) over the Keeneland grass. His most recent outing was a second-place finish in a dirt allowance at Churchill Downs going 1 1/16 miles. Inveigled just missed winning the James F. Lewis III S. at Laurel two back, but rebounded last month at Gulfstream by taking a one-mile allowance by 4 3/4 lengths over returning rival Sea Streak.
Another intriguing contender is Boy Magic, a son of Good Magic who enters with a 2-for-2 record. He easily won at Delaware Park first out and then followed up with an allowance score at Pimlico. An odds-on favorite both times, he figures to be much further down the pari-mutuel pecking order in the New Year’s Day feature.
