Macho Music stepped up, stepped out cleanly, and led every step of the way in the slop and won the $600,000 Pat Day Mile (G2) on Saturday at Churchill Downs on the Kentucky Derby undercard.
Dismissed at 13-1 odds in a field of nine 3-year-olds, Macho Music broke out of the gate under Javier Castellano and cruised to the lead with nary a speck of mud on his coat.
The colt held off a pair of Bob Baffert-trained runners, Madaket Road and Gaming, around the turn and through the stretch for a 3 1/4-length victory in his first graded stakes race after seven earlier starts.
The track condition for the race was listed sloppy and sealed as the rain that began about an hour before the race continued, with more rain and possible heavy showers in the forecast as the Derby rolls around (post time 6:57 p.m.).
A year ago, Pat Day Mile winner Seize the Grey went on to win the Preakness Stakes (G1), the second leg of the Triple Crown, two weeks later at Pimlico in Baltimore. The trainer and co-owner Rohan Crichton said Macho Music will be pointed to the Woody Stephens (G1) at Saratoga on Belmont Stakes Day, June 7.
This was a big win for Crichton, who saddled his first graded stakes winner. Macho Music picked up the winner’s share of $297,600 for owners Mark Fletcher Taylor, Crichton, and Daniel Walters. He raised his record to 8-4-2-0.
“I think the track helped him, and he is really a quick horse,’’ said Crichton. “He's quick and he's able to stretch his speed, which we were a little worried about. In his last race at Tampa, he really relaxed and kicked, which is what gave us the confidence.”
Madaket Road (the 5-2 favorite) and Gaming (3-1), second and third, respectively, were among a slew of Baffert 3-year-olds that had qualified for the Derby, but the shorter distance of the Pat Day Mile seemed a better fit. Neither had ever run over a muddy track, but the same was true for Macho Music.
“His last race down at Tampa when he stretched out in distance gave me a lot of confidence he’d be able to handle the step up in class today,’’ said Castellano, who was aboard Macho Music in an 11 ¼-length win in the ungraded Sophomore Stakes at Tampa on March 30.
Macho Music returned $29.86 for a $2 win bet and won in 1:35.65. Gate to Wire was fourth, followed by Perfect Force, Smoken Wicked, Innovator, California Burrito, and Built.
