Versatile Man Among Men Proves Mettle In Sham; Empire Maker Second
By: John Gaver III

(Feb. 7, 2003) - The $75,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Feb. 7 was supposed to be a coronation of sorts for the highly touted Juddmonte Farm color bearer Empire Maker. It turned out to be a coming out party for Man Among Men.

Sent off at odds a shade better than 9-1, R. D. Hubbard and Constance Sczesny's Man Among Men stalked the pace and held off 2-5 favorite Empire Maker in deep stretch to win the nine furlong Sham by a length in 1:48.39 over a "fast" racetrack in Arcadia, Calif. Spensive ran third in the field of seven three-year-old colts.

Ten Most Wanted, Pine For Java, Truckle Feature and Storm Gulch, who was eased, completed the official order of finish.

Ridden to victory by Alex Solis and trained by Gary Mandella, Man Among Men, returned $20.20, $4.60 and $2.10. The son of Gentlemen improved his lifetime record to three wins from five starts, and the $48,600 winner's share of the Sham purse elevated his career earnings to $122,640. "He handled the dirt good even though he hadn't been on it for a while," Solis said. "Gary has done a good job getting him used to having dirt kicked in his face. He beat a few good horses and was giving them weight, and I like the fact he's already won at a mile and an eighth, the Santa Anita Derby distance," the rider continued. "Being by Gentleman, she should be good on dirt or turf."

Man Among Men was bumped slightly at the start when Truckle Feature, breaking from the rail, came out slightly but Solis was able to gather his mount in shortly after the break to stalk pacesetting Truckle Feature, who carved out an opening quarter-mile of :22.91 and a half in :46.31 while being pressed by Ten Most Wanted. At the five-sixteenths pole, Kent Desormeaux sent Ten Most Wanted past a tiring Truckle Feature, but had little in the tank to contest a surging Men Among Men, who was a length and a half clear of the field at the quarter-pole.

Both Empire Maker and Spensive finished with good interest but were no real threat to the winner, who earned his first ever dirt win in his 3-year-old debut.

As a juvenile, Man Among Men won the restricted Pinjara Stakes on turf at Santa Anita and was only beaten two lengths by Peace Rules, who is scheduled to make his next start in the Feb. 16 Risen Star Stakes (GIII) at Fair Grounds for trainer Bobby Frankel, in the Grade III Generous Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Though beaten as the heavy favorite, Empire Maker ran a good race to finish second in his first start in a shade over two months and just his third outing lifetime for trainer Bobby Frankel. The Unbridled colt broke in good order and was the recipient of a ground-saving ride by jockey Jerry Bailey, who flew West for the assignment.

Between the half-mile and three-eighths pole, Empire Maker showed a little burst of speed, then retreated again while being ridden along by Bailey. Approaching the eighth-pole, Empire Maker split Spensive to his outside and a tiring Ten Most Wanted to his inside, angled in toward the rail from the four path for the final sixteenth of a mile and finished with good interest. He galloped out several lengths past Man Among Men as the field was being pulled up on the clubhouse turn.

"He's physically fit, but he's not real razor-sharp mentally yet," said jockey Jerry Bailey. "This was only his third race and he hadn't run in a while. Considering that, he ran a good race."

Trainer Gary Mandella indicated that the Mar. 16 San Felipe Stakes (GII) at Santa Anita is the race that "makes the most sense" next for Man Among Men. However, the trainer mentioned several options for the colt including the Mar. 8 El Camino Real Derby (GIII) at Golden Gate Fields and the $750,000 Louisiana Derby (GII) on Mar. 9 at Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La.

"The most important thing is how he looks tomorrow," Mandella said.

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