Ortiz lowers sights for Mucho

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – John Ortiz toyed with the idea of running Mucho in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint. But there was all the travel and expense of getting the 5-year-old horse to California and, well, there was Jackie’s Warrior and the rest.

“We thought about it, but in the end, we just wanted to stay local,” said Ortiz.

So instead of Mucho being a longshot in the $2 million BC Sprint, the odds will be much lower on him when he faces seven other older horses Saturday evening under the Churchill Downs lights in the 13th running of the $300,000 Bet On Sunshine. The sixfurlong Bet On Sunshine is the 10th of 11 races on a card that will start at 1:45 p.m. Eastern and won’t be finished until 7:58, with extra time being allotted between all live races to avoid overlap with the Breeders’ Cup simulcasts from Del Mar. Post time for the Bet On Sunshine is 7:20.

Ortiz claimed Mucho for $80,000 nearly a year ago at Churchill, and the son of Blame has earned nearly $200,000 in eight subsequent starts. He began with an allowance win at Oaklawn Park in January and has competed exclusively in stakes since then, winning the Challedon at Pimlico in July between finishing second in tight photos in the Kelly’s Landing at Churchill in June and the Chesapeake at Colonial in August.

“I can’t express how every time he runs, he always comes out of it better,” said Ortiz. “He’s bigger and stronger and always recovers better than he was before. He’s trained outstanding over the Churchill grounds.

We’re excited to walk him over and let him do his thing again.”

Mucho will have Reylu Gutierrez aboard when he breaks from the outside post in the Bet On Sunshine, which honors the Florida-bred gelding who won 14 stakes and more than $1.4 million for the late David Holloway in a 47-race career that ended in 2002.

The top threat to Mucho is a familiar rival – Bango (post 4, Martin Pedroza), who won the seven-furlong Kelly’s Landing by a nose over Mucho when last they met. Bango, trained by Greg Foley, has been outstanding here at home, winning a remarkable six of 10 starts over the Churchill main track.

“His record at Churchill sort of speaks for itself,” said Foley. “He loves this track, and this race was a very logical spot. We’re excited with his preparation leading into this spot.”

Both Bango and Mucho tend to employ effective stalk-andpounce styles. The particulars of this race suggest the Florida shipper Rough Entry (post 5, Brian Hernandez Jr.) will be on the early lead with the two favorites in close pursuit, along with Long Weekend (post 2, James Graham) and maybe a couple others. Necker Island (post 1, Mitch Murrill) figures among the deeper closers as he turns back from longer races, including a last-out allowance romp going seven furlongs on closing day of the September meet for trainer Chris Hartman.

The Bet On Sunshine is sandwiched by a pair of allowances, races 9 and 11, that will make for a terrific end to the drawn-out card. A fast track is expected with a daytime forecast of sunshine and high temperatures in the mid-50s.