Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who won this year's Preakness Stakes (gr. I) aboard Oxbow , has been named to ride Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Mucho Macho Man in the Sept. 28 Awesome Again Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park, agent Craig O'Bryan said Friday.
The 1 1/8-mile Awesome Again is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race that is expected to draw a large field, and will serve as Mucho Macho Man's final prep for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) Nov. 2.
The 5-year-old son of Macho Uno prepped for last year's Classic in the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course, run two months before the Breeders' Cup. With only three starts in 2013, it was decided to give him a race over the track and go into the Classic off only five weeks. Last year, Mucho Macho Man finished second, beaten a half-length, to Fort Larned following a stirring stretch duel.
In Mucho Macho Man's last start, he finished a solid third behind Cross Traffic and Fort Larned in the Whitney Invitational Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga.
He is scheduled to work five furlongs at 6:30 Saturday morning on Santa Anita's main track, according to trainer Kathy Ritvo.
Mucho Macho Man has won six of 21 career starts, with five seconds and six thirds, for earnings of $2,440,410.