South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
His hunch pays off
Baffert’s late decision to run Mucho Gusto results in win
HALLANDALE BEACH — Bob Baffert didn’t decide until late in the game to ship Mucho Gusto from the West Coast to the $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream on Saturday.
Mucho Gusto, who wasn’t among the top 12 original invitees, had to convince his trainer that he belonged in the richest race at Gulfstream.
“I wasn’t really planning on taking him there,” said Baffert, who didn’t ship with Mucho Gusto, by phone from California. A series of strong workouts at Santa Anita convinced the trainer to take a shot. It turned out to be a mucho smart play. “Those are the most exciting ones, when you don’t expect it,” he said.
Mucho Gusto, a newly turned 4-year-old, has been on Baffert’s B team for most of his career and didn’t get into the Pegasus until a number of other top horses, including his higher-regarded stablemate McKinzie, passed on their invitations in favor of a new
$20 million race in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 29.
Overcoming a tough outside post position under Irad Ortiz Jr., Mucho Gusto saved ground and stalked the pace set by Mr. Freeze through the early stages, then blew away the field with a strong stretch move.
Ortiz quickly erased the disadvantage of starting from the eight post in the 1 1⁄8-mile race at Gulfstream, which has a short run to the first turn. Ortiz asked Mucho Gusto to sprint out of the gate and cross over.
“He has a lot of speed, but the key was to get a good break and get over right away,” Baffert said.
This strategy got them to the inside before the bend. Once there Ortiz let Mucho Gusto relax a bit and slide back to third, where they stayed until their decisive move on the final turn.
By the time the field straightened for home, the race was effectively over.
“At the three-eighths pole, I tipped him out and he took off,” Ortiz said.
Once the 3-1 second choice hit the top, he drew away and was never seriously challenged, going under the wire by 4 1⁄2 lengths over Mr. Freeze in 1 minute, 48.85 seconds. “He was much the best,” Ortiz said. War Story came on late for third. Higher Power, another California shipper who went off the 5-2 favorite, was prominent into the turn, only to back up badly late and trail the field home.
Davie rider wins $1 million Turf
Davie native Tyler Gaffalione started on the rail and never left it as he guided Zulu Native to an 11-1 upset in the co-featured $1 million Pegasus Turf.
Displaying super patience, Gaffalione wrangled Zulu Native back toward the rear of the pack in the first run through the stretch. Determined to maintain his ground-saving position. Gaffalione let Zulu Alpha slip back to seventh or eighth around the first turn. He dropped back another position or two in the run down the backstretch of the 1 3⁄16-mile stakes as world traveler Magic Wand set an uncontested pace.
Zulu Alpha was still sixth at the top of the lane as Magic Wand appeared to be slipping away. But as the rest of the field swung wide, Gaffalione kicked Zulu Alpha into high gear on the fence. He gobbled up the only female in the 12-horse field easily and drew away to a two-length victory.
“The speed set up in front of us, so I was able to let my horse settle,” Gaffalione said. “They just kept opening up and I didn’t see any reason to go around them, so we just stayed on the fence. He really exploded down in there and finished the job.”
Magic Wand, who had raced in Australia, Asia and Europe since her last North American start, held the place. Instilled Regard, who also had an inside trip but lacked Zulu Alpha’s closing kick, finished third.
“He has a lot of speed, but the key was to get a good break and get over right away.” — Bob Baffert, trainer of Pegasus World Cup winner Mucho Gusto