Multiple graded stakes winner Mucho Macho Man ran third behind San Pablo and Hymn Book in the $88,200 Criminal Type Stakes at Belmont Park June 14, his first start in five months (VIDEO).
The 5-year-old son of Macho Uno was forwardly placed in the five-horse field by Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado and showed good early speed while tracking pacesetter Sovereign Default two or three paths wide in the 1 1/16-mile dirt event. But after taking control at the quarter pole, the 3-4 favorite in the small field tired in the hiomestretch and was passed by the top two.
Grade III winner San Pablo, a 5-year-old by Jump Start who races for Burning Sands Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher, took command nearing the eighth pole and edged away under Hall of Famer John Velazquez to a 3 1/2-length win margin over the stalking Hymn Book. He was sent off at odds of 9-2.
Mucho Macho Man was beaten 4 1/4 lengths with Sovereign Default and Isn't He Perfect completing the order, the latter eased through the final furlong. Final time for the distance on the good main track was 1:41.14 following quick quarter mile splits of :23.07, :45.81, 1:10.08, and 1:34.51.
The victory brought Velazquez within one win of the milestone 5,000 mark.
Pletcher said San Pablo would be considered for the July 6 Suburban Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont. San Pablo entered off a sixth-place finish in the March 9 Razorback Handicap (gr. III) at Oaklawn Park. He was bred in Kentucky by Dan Bearden out of the Silver Ghost mare Hunt's Corner and now has a 10-4-1 record from 18 starts with earnings of $565,000.
Mucho Macho Man took the Suburban in 2012 and followed up with strong seconds in the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) and Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and trainer Kathy Ritvo. In his only other start of 2013, he finished seventh in the Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes at Gulfstream Park Jan. 19.
Ritvo then took him to Fair Hill Training Center near Elkton, Md., for some time on the sidelines. His connections did not indicate where he might make his next start.
