In his first start for HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled, Mucho Gusto was cleverly rated off the pace in Saturday’s $3-million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) at Gulfstream Park, surged to take command at the head of the stretch and was never threatened as he cruised to a 4-1/2 length victory. Fellow OBS graduate War Story (March ’14) rallied to finish third. It’s the fifth graded stakes win for the 4-year-old colt by Mucho Macho Man, trained by Bob Baffert, now 11-6-2-2 and the newest OBS millionaire with $2,579,800 in earnings. He was consigned by Kirkwood Stables, Agent, to the 2018 OBS March Sale, where he went through the ring after breezing an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. watch his under tack video
OBS grads posted another pair of stakes wins on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
In the $150,000 Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3), Marianne Stribling, Force Five Racing LLC and Two Rivers Racing Stable LLC’s Phat Man relaxed off the rapid early pace set by fellow OBS graduate Zenden (June ’18), rallied to collar him a sixteenth from home and proved best by a length. It’s the first graded stakes win for the 6-year-old gelding by Munnings, consigned by Bobby Dodd, Agent, to the 2016 OBS March Sale where he went through the ring after working an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5. Trained by J. Kent Sweezey, he now has three stakes victories, a 26-7-7-1 career record and earnings of $461,853. watch his under tack video
Altamira Racing Stable, Rafter JR Ranch LLC, STD Racing Stable and A. Miller’s well-traveled Texas Wedge saved ground just off the pace in the early going of the $150,000 World of Trouble Stakes, swung out for the drive at the head of the lane, caught fellow OBS graduate Carotari (April ’18) leader in deep stretch and was best by a neck at the wire. Winner of Santa Anita’s Joe Hernandez Stakes (G2) on New Year’s Day, the 5-year-old gelding by Colonel John, trained by Peter Miller, is now 14-6-3-2 and has earned $403,740. Consigned by Richardson Bloodstock, Agent, to the 2017 OBS March Sale, he was sold for $30,000 after breezing an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5. watch his under tack video
Mike McCarty’s Gold Street went right to the front at the start of Friday’s $150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park and never looked back, opening daylight in the stretch and scoring by 2-3/4 lengths. It’s the second straight stakes victory and third consecutive win for the newly turned 3-year-old colt by Street Boss, purchased for $55,000 as a yearling out of the Abbie Road Farm consignment at the 2018 OBS Winter Mixed Sale. Now 6-3-2-0 for trainer Steve Asmussen, he has earned $225,218 to date.