BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Mark Fletcher Taylor, Rohan Crichton and Daniel L. Walters’ Macho Music takes his two-race winning streak into stakes-level competition Saturday when the Florida-bred colt meets six other 2-year-olds in the $200,000 Bowman Mill at Keeneland. Macho Music has been labeled as the 2-1 morning line favorite in the six-furlong contest.
Also trained by Crichton, Macho Music has won his last two races by a combined 14 lengths including a four-and-a-half-length score against first condition, $100,000 optional claimers going six furlongs at Keeneland on Oct. 5. That came after the bay colt broke his maiden by nine-and-a-half lengths against Florida-bred special weight company going five-and-a-half furlongs at Gulfstream Park on Aug. 31.
He was second in his debut, two-and-a-half lengths behind future stakes-placed Florida-bred Neoequos, in a maiden special weight going five furlongs at Gulfstream on Aug. 10.
An earner of $84,707 in his three starts, Macho Music was purchased for $60,000 by Crichton out of the Pick View consignment at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale earlier this year.
Macho Music is by Maclean’s Music out of Southern Girl, by Tapit and was bred in Florida by John and Leslie Malone’s Bridlewood Farm. Southern Girl is a half-sister to 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic (Grade 1)-winner Mucho Macho Man and a full-sister to Grade 2 Woodford Reserve Brooklyn Invitational-winner Marconi.
Crichton has given the riding assignment on Macho Music to Luis Saez and they will depart post two.
Also expected to garner plenty of support through the mutuels is Mitty Griddy, a one-length winner against special weight maidens at Churchill Downs on Sept. 12.
Trained by Brad Cox for Barry and Joni Butzow, Mitty’s Griddy came from last of 12 to win his six-furlong debut with jockey Florent Geroux. By Mitole out of Sarah’s Song, by Songandaprayer, Mitty’s Griddy earned $69,000 in his lone effort.
Mitty’s Griddy will again have Geroux aboard from post three and they are 7-2 on the morning line.
The third choice in the program at 4-1 is Tough Catch for trainer Dallas Stewart, who owns the grey or roan colt with SOK Racing, Gervais Racing LLC, On Our Own Stables LLC and Zak Stables.
The son of Complexity won his first race by three-quarters of a length at Saratoga Race Course in July before finishing out of the money last out in the Grade 1 Hopeful won by Chancer McPatrick at Saratoga on Sept. 2.
Tyler Gaffalione will ride Tough Catch from the inside post one.
Rounding out the field for the Bowman Mill are Terrapin Station with jockey Corey Lanerie, Politicallycorrect and rider Jose Ortiz, Long Neck Paula will be ridden by John Velazquez and White Sands with Joe Bravo in the irons.
