Mucho Macho Man (USA)
June 15, 2008 – Living
Macho Uno (USA) x Ponche de Leona (USA), by Ponche (USA)
Family 4-r
June 15, 2008 – Living
Macho Uno (USA) x Ponche de Leona (USA), by Ponche (USA)
Family 4-r
Mucho Macho Man took after Mama's side of the family in a big way--literally. The gangly colt grew to 17 hands, even taller than his dam, and needed time to fill out his big frame. In spite of his physical backwardness, he showed signs of talent early and ended up as a near-champion at 5, winning well over US$5 million during the course of his racing career.
Race record
25 starts, 9 wins, 5 seconds, 6 thirds, US$5,625,410
2010:
2011:
2012:
2013:
2014:
Honors
As an individual
A bay, Mucho Macho Man stands at least 17 hands. A tall, lanky, long-striding horse, he filled out as he matured. He was quite precocious considering his late birthday and huge size but improved considerably with maturity. He has a laid-back disposition and is said to be intelligent. He missed nearly half of his 5-year-old season due to bacterial and viral infections.
As a stallion
Mucho Macho Man entered stud in 2015.
Notable progeny
Mucho Gusto (USA), Mucho Unusual (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Mucho Macho Man was bred by John and Carole Rio, who purchased his dam Ponche de Leona from Frank Stronach's Adena Springs for US$33,000 at the 2007 Keeneland November mixed sale while she was in foal to Macho Uno. Mucho Macho Man made his first start for Jim Culver's Dream Team One Racing Stable, which had purchased a 99 percent interest in the colt from the Rios. After that race, Dream Team One sold a 70 percent interest in Mucho Macho Man to Reeves Thoroughbred Racing (Dean and Patti Reeves), which bought out Dream Team One's interest in 2012. In February 2014, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing sold an interest in the horse to Adena Springs. For all but his first race, Mucho Macho Man was trained by Kathy Ritvo. Mucho Macho Man entered stud in 2015 at Adena Springs' Kentucky division, standing as the property of a syndicate.
Pedigree notes
Mucho Macho Man is inbred 4x4 to Mr. Prospector and 5x5 to Grey Dawn II. His dam Ponche de Leona was a listed stakes winner at 2 and is much the best runner produced from Perfect and Proud (by Nonparrell). Perfect and Proud, in turn, is out of Proud Sal (by Proudest Roman), whose dam Gal Sal (by Blasting Signal) was a juvenile stakes winner. The female line traces back to Sun Mixa, also the ancestress of Darby Dan Farm foundation mare Golden Trail.
Books and media
Fun facts
Last updated: September 26, 2020
Race record
25 starts, 9 wins, 5 seconds, 6 thirds, US$5,625,410
2010:
- 2nd Remsen Stakes (USA-G2, 9FD, Aqueduct)
- 2nd Nashua Stakes (USA-G2, 8FD, Aqueduct)
2011:
- Won Risen Star Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Fair Grounds)
- 3rd Kentucky Derby—Presented by Yum! Brands (USA-G1, 10FD, Churchill Downs)
- 3rd Louisiana Derby (USA-G2, 9FD, Fair Grounds)
2012:
- Won Suburban Handicap (USA-G2, 9FD, Belmont)
- Won Gulfstream Park Handicap (USA-G2, 8FD, Gulfstream Park)
- Won Florida Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes (USA-R, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
- 2nd Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- 2nd Woodward Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Alysheba Stakes (USA-G2, 8.5FD, Churchill Downs)
2013:
- Won Breeders' Cup Classic (USA-G1, 10FD, Santa Anita)
- Won Awesome Again Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Santa Anita)
- 3rd Whitney Invitational Stakes (USA-G1, 9FD, Saratoga)
- 3rd Criminal Type Stakes (USA-L, 8.5FD, Belmont)
2014:
- Won Florida Sunshine Millions Classic Stakes (USA-R, 9FD, Gulfstream Park)
Honors
- Finalist, Eclipse Awards, American Horse of the Year (2013)
- Finalist, Eclipse Awards, American Horse of the Year (2013)
- Finalist, Eclipse Awards, American champion older male (2013)
- Florida-bred Horse of the Year (2013)
- Florida-bred champion older male (2013)
- Secretariat Vox Populi Award (2013)
As an individual
A bay, Mucho Macho Man stands at least 17 hands. A tall, lanky, long-striding horse, he filled out as he matured. He was quite precocious considering his late birthday and huge size but improved considerably with maturity. He has a laid-back disposition and is said to be intelligent. He missed nearly half of his 5-year-old season due to bacterial and viral infections.
As a stallion
Mucho Macho Man entered stud in 2015.
Notable progeny
Mucho Gusto (USA), Mucho Unusual (USA)
Connections
Foaled in Florida, Mucho Macho Man was bred by John and Carole Rio, who purchased his dam Ponche de Leona from Frank Stronach's Adena Springs for US$33,000 at the 2007 Keeneland November mixed sale while she was in foal to Macho Uno. Mucho Macho Man made his first start for Jim Culver's Dream Team One Racing Stable, which had purchased a 99 percent interest in the colt from the Rios. After that race, Dream Team One sold a 70 percent interest in Mucho Macho Man to Reeves Thoroughbred Racing (Dean and Patti Reeves), which bought out Dream Team One's interest in 2012. In February 2014, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing sold an interest in the horse to Adena Springs. For all but his first race, Mucho Macho Man was trained by Kathy Ritvo. Mucho Macho Man entered stud in 2015 at Adena Springs' Kentucky division, standing as the property of a syndicate.
Pedigree notes
Mucho Macho Man is inbred 4x4 to Mr. Prospector and 5x5 to Grey Dawn II. His dam Ponche de Leona was a listed stakes winner at 2 and is much the best runner produced from Perfect and Proud (by Nonparrell). Perfect and Proud, in turn, is out of Proud Sal (by Proudest Roman), whose dam Gal Sal (by Blasting Signal) was a juvenile stakes winner. The female line traces back to Sun Mixa, also the ancestress of Darby Dan Farm foundation mare Golden Trail.
Books and media
- HRTV aired a half-hour special titled HRTV Presents: Mucho Macho Man on December 29, 2013, covering the horse's exploits and the impact he had on trainer Kathy Ritvo, who had received a heart transplant a few years earlier.
- Mucho Macho Man has his own Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MuchoMachoManHorse.
Fun facts
- Mucho Macho Man got the nickname “Lazarus” from his breeders after he survived a difficult foaling. Apparently born dead, he suddenly jumped up and dashed off as the Rios were praying over him.
- Mucho Macho Man took his official name from the lyrics of “Macho Man,” a hit song of the disco era which was recorded by The Village People.
- 3M Corporation entered a sponsorship deal with Mucho Macho Man's connections during the colt's run-up to the 2011 Kentucky Derby. Among many other products, 3M makes a wide variety of animal bandaging tapes.
- Mucho Macho Man's victory in the 2013 Breeders' Cup Classic made Kathy Ritvo the first woman to train a winner of the race and was selected as the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's "Moment of the Year" for 2013.
- In honor of Georgia-based Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Georgia governor Nathan Deal proclaimed May 1, 2014, to be “Mucho Macho Man Day” in the state of Georgia.
- The Mucho Macho Man Stakes was inaugurated at Gulfstream Park in 2015. Contested at one mile on dirt, the race is positioned as a prep for the Holy Bull Stakes (USA-G3), the first of Gulfstream Park's series of graded races for 3-year-olds. The inaugural running was won by Bluegrass Singer.
Last updated: September 26, 2020