Mucho Macho Man worked a sharp five furlongs in :59 flat on the morning of Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park for trainer Kathy Ritvo in preparation for his 2011 debut in the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) in one week.
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and partners' 3-year-old son of Macho Man finished second behind To Honor and Serve in the Nashua (gr. II) and Remsen (gr. II) stakes at Aqueduct in November in his final two starts as a juvenile.
Mucho Macho Man posted his third consecutive bullet workout at Gulfstream this month in preparation for the track's Jan. 30 Holy Bull. The latest move was fastest of 38 timed at the distance.
The one-turn mile Holy Bull shapes up as the strongest test of the young season yet for 3-year-olds with Kentucky Derby (gr. I) and Triple Crown aspirations. The field is expected to include Zayat Stable’s Black N Beauty, Our Sugar Bear Stable’s Gourmet Dinner, Jay Em Ess Stable and partners’ Boys At Tosconova , Klaravich Stable and William Lawrence’s Printing Press, and either of the same owners’ Leave of Absence or Rescind the Trade.
Black N Beauty also worked Jan. 23, breezing a half-mile in :49 under exercise rider Faustino Orantes.
“He started off nice and even and also finished up well,” trainer Dale Romans said.
Black N Beauty will make his stakes debut in the Holy Bull, the first qualifying race for the Preakness 5.5 bonus series. The 3-year-old son of Devil His Due posted an impressive front-running triumph at the distance of the Holly Bull in an allowance race at Gulfstream Jan. 7.