BY BROCK SHERIDAN
The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore for Florida-breds at Tampa Bay Downs has a long list of winners who have graduated from the Florida Cup Day event to become graded stakes winners. They include millionaire Imperial Hint, Jackson, Prudhoe Bay, City of Weston, Electrify and Weigelia.
Florida-bred Macho Music, winner of this year’s OBS Sophomore on March 30, looks to join that illustrious group Saturday when he goes postward in the $600,000 Pat Day Mile (Grade 2) at Churchill Downs. Trained by Rohan Crichton, who co-owns the colt with Mark Fletcher Taylor and Daniel L. Walters, Macho Music is one of nine 3-year-olds entered.
Macho Music has shown potential since his second start, a nine-and-a-half-length romp against Florida-bred special weight maidens at Gulfstream Park in August. He then won a first condition, $100,000 optional claiming by four-and-a-half lengths going six furlongs at Keeneland on Oct. 5 before completing his juvenile season there, finishing fourth in the $197,000 Bowman Mill on Oct. 26.
Crichton kept him in stakes company for his 3-year-old year, starting with a fourth-place finish in the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man going a mile at Gulfstream on Jan. 4. Macho Music then finished second to Gate to Wire in the $155,000 Swale at Gulfstream on Feb. 1 before heading to Tampa Bay Downs his victory in the $110,000 Sophomore.
Macho Music enters with a record of three wins and two seconds in seven starts while earning $204,257. He was purchased by Crichton for $60,000 out the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company March Sale where he was consigned by Joe Pickerrell and Courtney Roberts’ Pick View.
(Macho Music’s Under Tack Video)
At 12-1 on the morning line, Macho Music has post seven and jockey Javier Castellano.
The 2-1 morning line favorite is Madaket Road, who was withdrawn from Kentucky Derby consideration by trainer Bob Baffert in favor of the Pat Day Mile.
A $650,000 yearling purchase by SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables LLC, Madaket Road exits a fourth-place finish in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) going nine furlongs at Gulfstream on March 29.
A winner of maiden special weight at Santa Anita in his second career start in December, the son of Quality Road finished third in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) won by stablemate and Kentucky Derby contender Citizen Bull at Santa Anita on Feb. 1, and second to Derby entrant Coal Battle in the Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 23.
He has earned $326,000 from his one win, two seconds and a third in five starts and is now owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert E. Masterson, Tom J. Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan.
Madaket Road will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post one.
Rounding out the field for the Pat Day Mile are Built with Umberto Rispoli named to ride, California Burrito and jockey Irving Moncada, Smoken Wicked with Brian Herndandez Jr. up, Flavien Prat will guide Gate to Wire, John Velazquez takes the call on Gaming, Innovator with rider Jaimie Torres and Perfect Force with Nik Juarez in the saddle.
Return to the May 1 issue of Wire to Wire
