Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) winner Mucho Macho Man has been assigned top weight of 124 pounds for the $750,000 Santa Anita Handicap presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino (gr. I), one more pound than Classic runner-up and 3-year-old champion Will Take Charge.
Two-time Big 'Cap winner Game On Dude has been assigned 122 for the March 8 race at Santa Anita Park at 1 1/4 miles.
Owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Stronach Stables, Mucho Macho Man is a 6-year-old horse by Macho Uno trained by Kathy Ritvo. A dazzling 14-length winner versus Florida-breds in the Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park Jan. 18, he seeks his 10th win in what will be his 25th career start. He has earnings of $5,580,410.
Voted the Eclipse Award as top 3-year-old in 2013, Will Take Charge was beaten a scant nose in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 2. He followed that with a game head victory over two-time Santa Anita Handicap winner Game On Dude in the Clark Handicap (gr. I) at Churchill Downs Nov. 29. The son of Unbridled's Song was second, beaten 1 1/2 lengths, in his most recent start, the Donn Handicap (gr. I) at Gulfstream Feb. 9.
Trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Will Take Charge is owned by Willis D. Horton and Three Chimneys Farm. With $3,155,148 in earnings, he has six wins and four seconds from 16 lifetime starts.
Trained by Bob Baffert, Game On Dude was a record-breaking 7 3/4-length winner of last year’s Big 'Cap. He seeks to become the first three-time winner in the 77-year history of America’s longest continually run hundred grander.
Owned by Joe Torre’s Diamond Pride, the Lanni Family Trust, Mercedes Stable, and Bernard Schiappa, the 7-year-old Awesome Again gelding has 15 wins, six seconds and one third place finish from 30 starts. He has earnings of $5,713,893.
Entries for the Santa Anita Handicap will be taken Wednesday, March 5. First post time on Big ’Cap Day will be at noon. Admission gates will open at 10 a.m.
With 16 nominations, the weights and trainers for the Santa Anita Handicap are as follows:
MUCHO MACHO MAN/124/Kathy Ritvo
WILL TAKE CHARGE/123/D. Wayne Lukas
GAME ON DUDE/122/Bob Baffert
BLINGO/117/John Shirreffs
BLUESKIESNRAINBOWS/117/Jerry Hollendorfer
FURY KAPCORI/115/Jerry Hollendorfer
GOVERNOR CHARLIE/115/Bob Baffert
LONG RIVER/115/Kiaran McLaughlin
AMERICAN BLEND/114/Carla Gaines
APPEALING TALE/114/Peter Miller
CLUBHOUSE RIDE/114/Craig Lewis
HEAR THE GHOST/114/Jerry Hollendorfer
IMPERATIVE/114/George Papaprodromou
MAJESTIC HARBOR/114/Sean McCarthy
ROUSING SERMON/114/Jerry Hollendorfer
SETSUKO/114/Richard Mandella
Mucho Macho Man
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