LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On Tuesday, during a ceremonial dinner, as he supped with the swells who own only the best horses and the semi-famous few who train them, Suwanee’s Dean Reeves said it struck him full force:
It’s real — I’m in the Kentucky Derby.
On Wednesday afternoon, that realization was affirmed for all the racing world. The Reeves Racing colors — gold and white because Dean is a Georgia Tech man, and kelly green because his wife, Patti, likes the hue — were hung with care during the post-position draw for Saturday’s 137th Derby. Through the blind draw, Reeves’ Mucho Macho Man got the No. 13 spot in the 20-horse race.
At least in this little corner of the gambling world, the number 13 is not considered a bad omen. Since 1900, four horses have won from that gate, the last being Smarty Jones in 2004.
“No, that’s not a bad number, not today,” said Reeves, a 70 percent owner of the horse and one among the many who hooted with delight when the starting spot was selected.
“We’re not superstitious anyway,” his wife said.
With the post positions set, a revised set of odds Wednesday left Mucho Macho Man at 12-to-1.
The morning-line favorite was Dialed In (4-to-1), winner of three of four lifetime starts, most recently winning last month’s Florida Derby. The Nick Zito-trained horse will start from the eighth position.
Last year’s 2-year-old champion, Uncle Mo, starts far outside, from the 18th hole. He was listed at 9-to-2 following the post-position draw.
As for the horse with all the local connections, it has been a good week for Mucho Macho Man.
The horse has adapted well to his new Churchill Downs surroundings, trainer Kathy Ritvo said. He has trained equally well in both the slop and on a dry, fast track, she said.
“He’s in great shape. We’re very confident,” Ritvo said.
“He’s doing just great. We’re here to run,” said Smyrna’s Kostas Hatzikoutelis, a partner in Dream Team Racing, which maintains a 30 percent share of Mucho Macho Man.
The humans around the horse have had a pretty interesting week as well.
Patti Reeves made one of the more successful cold calls of all time April 27.
Dialing a 1-888 help number for 3M, Patti told the woman on the other end about this horse she had going in the Derby that shared a familiar set of initials with the corporate giant. She was just wondering if anyone there might be interested in a sponsorship deal.
“That lady [at the other end] had to be thinking I was nuts,” said Patti, who once worked for 3M. “I heard her typing my message, and she said, ‘OK, ma’am; we’ll get back to you.’
“I thought that was the end of that. Two hours later I get a call from a guy who says he’s the head of corporate communications, saying how much they loved the idea.”
Thus, Mucho Macho Man’s jockey, Rajiv Maragh, will wear a 3M logo on his white racing britches Saturday.
A merger of another sort was worked out on the track Tuesday, when 1 percent owners of Mucho Macho Man — Michael Sivo and Laura Surovi of Willoughby Hills, Ohio — got married in the Kentucky Derby winner’s circle.
Sivo told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he owed a lot to that horse: “He’s a terrific horse, and we’ve had great fun owning a small share of him. Mucho Macho Man has made Laura and me different people. Life is so good on this ride he’s taken us on.”
So far, the long-legged horse coming out of the 13 hole in Saturday’s Derby has meant nothing but good luck for everyone around him.
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