BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Six races before the 2025 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1), Mark Taylor Fletcher, Daniel L. Walters and trainer Rohan Crichton’s Macho Music trounced a field of 3-year-olds over a sloppy and sealed one-turn mile at Churchill Downs, winning the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile presented by SAP by three-and-a-half-lengths.
Crichton has the now 4-year-old Florida-bred back under the Twin Spires going a one-turn mile again Saturday in the $400,000 Ack Ack for 3-year-olds and older.
A victory in the Grade 3 outside Florida would this year earn breeders Jack and Leslie Malone’s Bridlewood Farm a $5,000 Export Incentive paid by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
However, Macho Music has not been successful in three previous starts at Churchill in 2026, finishing off the board twice at seven furlongs in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs Stakes on May 2 and in a top tier, $175,000 optional claiming on May 21. He improved to finish third going six furlongs in a upper level, $100,000 optional claiming going there on June 17 then was third again in a upper level $75,000 optional claiming at Colonial Downs on July 6 at the six-and-a-half-furlong distance.
Last out, he was second at Colonial under the same conditions but going his preferred one-mile distance—producing a 94 Beyer Speed Figure, his best since the 97 Beyer number in Pat Day Mile.
Macho Music has four wins, three seconds and two thirds in 16 career starts and has receipts of $563,688. Crichton purchased him for $60,000 at the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale out of the Pick View consignment of Joe Pickerrell and Courtney Roberts’ of Ocala, Florida. He was also a $50,000 graduate of the 2023 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Macho Music has drawn the inside post one and will be ridden for the third straight time by Jareth Loveberry.
Other strong contenders in the Ack Ack are Owen Almighty and Coal Battle; who were first and third respectively in the $200,000 R.A. “Cowboy” Jones presented by Coady Media at Ellis Park on August 9; Nu What’s New and Owen Almighty, the first two finishers in the Grade 3 Hanshin presented by JRA at Churchill on June 28; and Philip Iselin (G3)-winner Bishops Bay, who was also second to Ack Ack contender East Avenue in the Salvatore Mile.
The field in post position order with riders are Macho Music with Loveberry, Arrowthegreat and jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.; Francisco Arrieta will guide Owen Almighty, Bishops Bay teams with Tyler Gaffalione, Walter Rodriguez has the call on Prince of Power, Coal Battle and pilot Juan Vargas, Cristian Torres will be in saddle on East Avenue and Nu What’s New with Luis Saez in the irons.
Return to the September 22 issue of Wire to Wire
