'TDN Rising Star' Mask (Tapit) stamped himself as a serious contender for the spring Classics with a powerful performance at second asking in Saturday's one-turn mile $100,000 Mucho Macho Man S. at Gulfstream Park.
“The horse has always trained like he was something special,” winning trainer Chad Brown said of the Lanes End Racing colorbearer. “He had no problem with a mile. The way he ran, it looks like he'll have no problem with two turns, either. Very professional. Second start, he handled himself perfect in the paddock and has a wonderful mind on him. Exciting horse.”
The 7-5 favorite went straight to the front beneath Javier Castellano and led comfortably through easy early fractions of :24.43 and :48.13. The $685,000 KEESEP buy began to let it out a notch on the far turn and was never seriously asked for run in the stretch, winning by a geared-down 6 1/4 lengths.
Mask was a three-length maiden winner in his previous trip to the post going 6 1/2 furlongs at Belmont Park Oct. 20. The runner-up that day Navistar (Union Rags), a $900,000 OBSMAR graduate, resurfaced to earn his diploma in Hallandale Dec. 16.
“Both starts weren't a surprise, but we were impressed again,” Brown said. “I was surprised [to see him on the lead] but not disappointed. I was hoping he'd break well, and when I saw that first fraction, I knew he'd be pretty tough to beat at that point because he's been training with really good horses in the morning and he's been galloping out particularly strong in his works. The only thing left to see midway through the race was, was the layoff going to hit him the last eighth or not and it didn't. He just widened.”
Brown also trains GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero and Eclipse Award finalist Good Magic (Curlin). What's next for Mask?
“No plans yet,” Brown replied. “I really wanted to just see what happened today, what he got out of this race, how he handled the mile and everything. So far, I couldn't be more pleased with everything. We'll see how he comes out of the race and go from there. I do want to try the horse two turns in his next start and find out where we stand as far as putting him on the Derby trail, but right now he looks like he's firmly on that path.”
Pedigree Notes:
Out of a stakes-winning juvenile who won her first two starts by a combined 8 3/4 lengths, Mask's stakes-placed second dam The Hess Express (Lord Carson) also produced Grade I winner Bullsbay (Tiznow), GSW Our Khrysty (Newfoundland) and MSW/GSP Vegas No Show (Hard Spun). Dam Hidden Expression, acquired by Gainesway for $360,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale, has a 2-year-old filly by Lemon Drop Kid. She was bred to Anchor Down last season.
MUCHO MACHO MAN S., $100,000, GP, 1-6, 3yo, 1m, 1:37.65, ft.
1–MASK, 116, c, 3, by Tapit
1st Dam: Hidden Expression (SW), by Yonaguska
2nd Dam: The Hess Express, by Lord Carson
3rd Dam: Turcomedy, by Turkoman
'TDN Rising Star' 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN.
($685,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Lane's End Racing; B-Gainesway
Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Javier Castellano.
$60,760. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $105,760.[bullet ad=”gainesway-bred”][bullet ad=”mckathan-brothers-training-grad”][bullet ad=”huntervalleyfarm-hip32″]2–Bal Harbour, 120, c, 3, First Samurai–Casino Transaction, by
Carson City. O/B-Red Oak Stable (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher.
$19,600.[bullet ad=”equix-optimatch”]3–Dak Attack, 120, c, 3, Ghostzapper–Indian Spell, by Indian
Charlie. ($625,000 Ylg '16 KEESEP). O-Albaugh Family Stable
& Brereton C. Jones; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY); T-Dale L.
Romans. $9,800.[bullet ad=”berkelhammer-abracadabra-graduate”][bullet ad=”berkelhammer-shell”]Margins: 6 1/4, 3, 7. Odds: 1.40, 2.50, 2.30.
Also Ran: Whereshetoldmetogo, Santiamen, Handsome Franco, Forever Taken. Scratched: Coltandmississippi. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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