Mucho Gusto

Mucho Gusto won his career debut on Sept. 20, 2018 at Los Alamitos, where he led from start to finish in a four-length runaway victory. Tested next against stakes competition, Mucho Gusto was sent off as the 4-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes in November at Del Mar and he lived up to the hype. Mucho Gusto took control at the start of the seven-eighths of a mile race and powered to a dominant 1 ½-length score.

In December, Mucho Gusto picked up four Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve qualifying points when he finished second to stablemate Improbable in the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity.

Mucho Gusto returned for his 2019 debut in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Feb. 2 at Santa Anita Park. He showed a new dimension by racing just off the pace in that race on a sloppy track. Mucho Gusto seized command on the final turn and powered clear to a runaway victory. He secured his first career graded stakes win and banked 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Returning in the March 24 Sunland Park Derby, Mucho Gusto set a swift and contested pace and faded in the stretch to finish third behind Cutting Humor and Anothertwistafate. He earned 10 more qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby in the race.

Mucho Gusto did not start in any of the Triple Crown races, targeting the Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita on May 18, which he won easily by 3 1/4 lengths. He then tallied a second consecutive graded stakes score in the Grade 3 Affirmed Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita, powering clear in the stretch and defeating stablemate and Santa Anita Derby winner Roadster. Stepping back up to Grade 1 competition for the first time in his 3-year-old season, Mucho Gusto gave a very good account of himself with a game runner-up finish in the $1 million TVG.com Haskell Invitational Stakes. He followed with another determined effort when third in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers Stakes Aug. 24 at Saratoga. Mucho Gusto made his final start as a 3-year-old in the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby and faded late to finish fourth, beaten by two lengths.

Baffert brought Mucho Gusto back for his 4-year-old bow in a challenging spot as the Mucho Macho Man colt was entered in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Presented by Runhappy in his first start off a layoff of more than 3 ½ months. He lived up to expectations, however, winning easily as the second betting choice in a runaway victory. Mucho Gusto subsequently ran fourth in the first running of the Saudi Cup for a purse of $20 million at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

In his comeback race after the trip to Saudi Arabia, Mucho Gusto disappointed in the Grade 2 San Antonio Mile Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26 after a ten-month layoff, finishing fourth.

Mucho Gusto is from the first crop of 2013 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man and is from the family of Canadian Horse of the Year Peaks and Valleys.