Mucho Gusto Much the Best in Lewis

[Wandering Eyes]

Pounded into 3-5 favoritism making his sophomore debut in Saturday’s GIII Robert B. Lewis S., Michael Lund Petersen’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ MUCHO GUSTO (c, 3, Mucho Macho Man–Itsagiantcauseway, by Giant’s Causeway) showed that he will be another serious threat along the Derby trail for trainer Bob Baffert with a convincing defeat of GIII Sham S. winner Gunmetal Gray (Exchange Rate) in the 8 1/2-furlong affair. First to break the line beneath Joe Talamo, the lanky chestnut ultimately took back into third, then inherited second spot when Kid Cantina (Richard’s Kid) went amiss midway up the backstretch. Asked to win his race on the turn, Mucho Gusto overhauled pacesetting Magnificent McCool (Giant’s Causeway) with 2 ½ furlongs to travel and while it appeared for a stride or two that Gunmetal Gray might be a late danger, Mucho Gusto rebroke and reported home about five lengths to the good. It was a solid effort in defeat for Gunmetal Gray, who dropped out to the tail of the field and closed off well enough to be second. A $14,000 short-yearling at Keeneland January two years ago, Mucho Gusto fetched $95,000 as a Keeneland September yearling. He was led out unsold on a bid of $55,000 at last year’s OBS March Sale, but improved by leaps and bounds over the next eight weeks and was hammered down for $625,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale, the most expensive of his sire (by Macho Uno)’s first-crop breezers. He is the second Saturday graded winner to emerge from that event, joining GIII Swale S. hero Call Paul (Friesan Fire). Accorded Rising Star status for a four-length debut success at Los Alamitos Sept. 20, Mucho Gusto wired his four rivals to win Del Mar’s GIII Bob Hope S. Nov. 17 and was last seen finishing five lengths adrift of stablemate Improbable (City Zip) in the GI Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity Dec. 8. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0. O-Michael Lund Petersen; B-Teneri Farm Inc & Bernardo Alvarez Calderon (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

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