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Real Macho, Fourth in Fountain of Youth, Targeting G1 Florida Derby
3/7/2024
Coppola Chasing Second Straight Stakes Win in $100,000 Silks Run
Olivia Darling ‘Different Mare’ for Saturday’s G3 Hurricane Bertie
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Rohan Crichton, Daniel Walters and Dennis Smith’s Real Macho, fourth in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth (G2) March 2, will remain at Gulfstream Park for his next start in the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) March 30.
“We’ll be back in the Florida Derby,” co-owner Dean Reeves said. Reeves campaigned Real Macho’s sire, Mucho Macho Man, during a career with nine wins, including a victory in the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), a third-place finish in the 2011 Kentucky Derby (G1), and more than $5.6 million in purse earnings between 2010 and 2014.
Real Macho, racing without blinkers for the second straight race, had his head turned as the gates opened for the 1 1/16-mile Fountain of Youth and broke awkwardly but was within 1 ½ lengths of the lead for the first four furlongs before winding up 7 ¾ lengths behind winner Dornoch.
“Frankly, I expected a bit more from him on finishing up but he was moving well on the backstretch and it just seemed like he dropped the bit when the horses came to his outside,” Reeves said. “He’s still maturing and still a little green, but I think we’ll get a better effort next time in the Florida Derby.”
Real Macho earned 10 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby, and another 200 are up for grabs in the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby. Last year, Mage ran fourth in the Fountain of Youth and second in the Florida Derby as a prelude to his victory in Kentucky.
“That’s why I say sometimes these horses are still young and he’s a [June] foal so he’s still learning,” Reeves said. “[The Fountain of Youth] was really a chance for us to pick up a few extra points. With him, we know it’s a work in progress. I was a little disappointed, but he came out of it well and we’ll fire at it again.”
Other horses under consideration for the Florida Derby are Dornoch; Fierceness, 2023 2-year-old male champion who finished third in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3); Holy Bull winner Hades; and Conquest Warrior, a winner of two straight this winter at Gulfstream including a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming allowance March 1.
Trained by Crichton, Real Macho had two wins from four starts, a maiden triumph in November and an optional claiming allowance score Feb. 3, both going a mile at Gulfstream, the latter his first time without blinkers after wearing them for his first three races. Winless in two tries around two turns, he was making his stakes debut in the Fountain of Youth.
“He had a lot of momentum going into the Fountain of Youth, but I think it’s hard for them to figure out that effort process of what all it takes for them to be successful,” Reeves said. “He’s learning, and Rohan’s got some things that he’s going to work on between now and the Florida Derby to try to help him stay focused and get used to some horses around him. We hope we’ll get a little bit better outcome in the Florida Derby.”
Reeves may have another starter on the Florida Derby program in Queen’s Martini for the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). The 3-year-old filly was facing graded company for the first time in the March 2 Davona Dale (G2), finishing fourth, beaten less than three lengths by Fiona’s Magic. It was a half-length to favored Leslie’s Rose in third.
“I thought she ran a good race. I was hoping we were going to get third, but I thought she was closing well and gave us a good effort,” Reeves said. “She’s another one that’s not fully matured that we don’t want to press too hard. I haven’t talked with [trainer] Danny [Gargan] about what would be next for her. If she comes out good, we’ll probably try another prep race. I’m just not sure if it’ll be in Florida or someplace else.”
The Gulfstream Park Oaks is contested at 1 1/16 miles, which would be Queen’s Martini’s first try at two turns. It offers 200 qualifying points for the May 3 Kentucky Oaks (G1).
“She was finishing in her last race, which is the most important thing. She just didn’t not do anything. She was running and she herself has got to continue to develop. It’s not a real push for us to make the [Kentucky] Oaks. There’s some nice races later in the summer I’d like to have her ready for.”
Coppola Chasing Second Straight Stakes Win in Silks Run
Hammer Time Stable and SOK Racing’s Coppola, who became a Gulfstream Park stakes winner in his prior start, looks to make it two in a row in Saturday’s $100,000 Silks Run for 4-year-olds and up sprinting five furlongs on the grass.
Trained by Dale Romans, Coppola exits a rallying half-length victory in the five-furlong Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Feb. 10 over Panther Island, who also returns in the Silks Run. It was the sixth career win and third on the turf for the 5-year-old son of Into Mischief.
Coppola has alternated wins and losses in his last five races, dating back to a Churchill Downs optional claiming allowance in September. Two starts back, he raced up close to the pace after being bumped at the start but wound up fourth, beaten 1 ¼ lengths by Panther Island, in the Dec. 31 Janus.
“He’s been really good,” Romans said. “The race before last we got a little behind on him, but he’s done good down here in Florida and he’s trained good going into this race.”
Coppola had raced exclusively on the dirt for previous trainers Jonathan Thomas and Carlos Martin before joining Romans to start last year. He has been on the grass for 10 of 11 subsequent starts with three wins at Churchill Downs, one originally scheduled for the turf, and a third in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint on the undercard of the 148th Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico.
“Trial and error is all it is. He’s got a good pedigree to do a lot of things. It just seems that this is what he’s cut out to do,” Romans said. “He has been consistent. He’s extremely talented. He’s a good horse.”
Romans credits his life partner and assistant, Tammy Fox, with being instrumental in Coppola’s development.
“He’s Tammy’s project,” he said. “She works on him every day and rides him every morning. He’s one of those horses that when he’s good, he lets you know it.”
Coppola drew Post 5 in a field of eight led by multiple graded-stakes winners Big Invasion, runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) making his season debut, and Yes I Am Free.
“We feel good about him,” Romans said. “It’s a little tougher race. You’ve got the horse that was second in the Breeders’ Cup in there, but I’m confident in the way he’s coming in.”
Olivia Darling ‘Different Mare’ for Saturday’s G3 Hurricane Bertie
AMO Racing USA’s Olivia Darling is scheduled for a rematch with Spirit Wind in Saturday’s $125,000 Hurricane Bertie (G3) at Gulfstream Park, where the two 5-year-old mares clashed in the Dec. 23 Sugar Swirl (G3).
Spirit Wind, who is the 9-5 morning-line favorite, captured the six-furlong Sugar Swirl, three-quarters of a length ahead of rallying third-place finisher Olivia Darling, rated second at 2-1 in Saturday’s 6 ½-furlong test for older fillies and mares.
While Spirit Wind will be making her first start since her Sugar Swirl score while also making her first start for Miller Racing LLC and trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., Olivia Darling went on to post a front-running victory in the seven-furlong Inside Information (G2) Jan. 27 at Gulfstream.
“She’s become a different mare. She’s very proud, very classy,” trainer Jorge Delgado said. “Her preparation for this is perfect. She might run a better race than last time.”
Olivia Darling has been a model of consistency during her career, finishing first, second or third, in 13 of 18 starts that include five victories. Her score in the Inside Information was her first stakes win.
“I’m very happy with her development. I can’t ask for more,” Delgado said.
David Egan, AMO Racing’s Kiavash Joorabchian’s European-based jockey who has been wintering at Gulfstream, is scheduled to ride Olivia Darling for the first time Saturday.