Real Macho Back for Florida Derby

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Rohan Crichton, Daniel Walters, and Dennis Smith's Real Macho , fourth in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), will remain at Gulfstream Park for his next start in the $1 million 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 from 2010-14.

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 March 2 and broke awkwardly but was within 1 1/2 lengths of the lead for the first four furlongs before winding up 7 3/4 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 (late April) 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."

Trained by Crichton, Real Macho had two wins from four starts, a maiden triumph in November and an allowance optional claiming 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."

Other horses under consideration for the Florida Derby are Dornoch; 2023 champion 2-year-old male and Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) hero Fierceness , third in the Feb. 3 Holy Bull (G3) in his most recent outing; Holy Bull victor Hades ; and Conquest Warrior , an impressive winner of an allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream March 1.