Mucho Macho Man is moving closer to the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby.
The 3-year-old colt held off Santiva in the stretch and won the $300,000 Risen Star Stakes by 1-1/2 lengths at the Fair Grounds on Saturday.
The victory was huge for trainer Kathy Ritvo, who not only has a Derby contender but is healthy after having received a heart transplant in 2008.
''I'm just excited because I have my health back, and I'm ready to go and the horse is great,'' the 41-year-old Ritvo said. ''I couldn't ask for a better horse.''
Sent off at odds of 7-2 under jockey Rajiv Maragh, Mucho Macho Man raced in second place alongside pacesetter Decisive Moment, then made his move heading into the final turn. Santiva, at 6-1, closed but could not pass the winner. Rogue Romance, the 2-1 favorite in the field of 10, finished third.
''My horse cooperated and settled well behind the leader,'' said Maragh, who got the mount after regular rider Eibar Coa was injured in a riding accident at Gulfstream Park in Florida on Friday. ''I was expecting him to make a big finish and he sure did.''
Ritvo dedicated the win to 40-year-old Coa, a veteran rider who underwent lengthy surgery Saturday to repair fractures to his C-4 vertebrae.
Reports from Gulfstream said the rider came out of surgery exhibiting minimal hand movement and doctors were optimistic regarding his chances of recovery, but it was too soon to tell if he would regain movement in his legs.
''I want to wish Eibar a very speedy recovery,'' Ritvo said. ''I'm very concerned about him and I wish him all the best.''
Mucho Macho Man ran the 1-1/16 miles in 1 minute, 43.98 seconds. It was a second victory for the colt, who came into the race off a fourth-place finish in the Holy Bull Stakes on Jan. 30. The colt is owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Dream Team One Racing.
Mucho Macho Man hadn't reached the winner's circle since breaking his maiden in September at Monmouth Park, although he had two runner-up finishes in the Nashua and the Remsen at Aqueduct.
The winner returned $9.20 to bettors.
Trainers of the top three finishers said the Louisiana Derby on March 26 is an option for their horses' next start, but they did not rule out other prep races leading up to the Derby on May 7.
''We're going to leave on Monday and I'm just going to go back (to Florida) and see how he comes back,'' Ritvo said, ''then we'll make our plans.''
