Richard Mandella was a relatively young pup of 33 when he won the 1983 San Pasqual Stakes for the first time, with a horse named Regal Falcon ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye.
In 2005, he captured his second San Pasqual, this time with Congrats under Tyler Baze. On Saturday the Hall of Fame trainer, now a sprightly 70, sends out committed front-runner Tizamagician in a bid for number three at Santa Anita Park.
A 4-year-old Tiznow colt, Tizamagician won an overnight race in game fashion last out on Jan. 2, leading throughout as is his wont. It was his first race in more than three months.
“He likes to be in front and came off a nice win,” Mandella said of the four-old Kentucky-bred colt owned by MyRacehorse.com and Spendthrift Farm, who will be ridden for the fourth straight time by Drayden Van Dyke.
Mandella was speaking of an overnight victory Jan. 2 at a mile and one-sixteenth, Tizamagician's first race in more than three months.
“He's doing real well,” said Mandella, who could use the San Pasqual as a steppingstone to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6, a race the Hall of Fame trainer has won three times, with Siphon in 1997, Malek in 1998 and Rock Hard Ten in 2005.
“That makes sense,” Mandella said, alluding to the San Pasqual as a logical forerunner to the Big 'Cap, Santa Anita's marquee race for older horses, which will be presented for the 84th time this year.
The San Pasqual, race five: Tizamagician, Drayden Van Dyke, 9-2; Idol, Gabriel Saez, 9-5; King Guillermo, Abel Cedillo, 2-1; Express Train, Juan Hernandez, 2-1; and Zestful, Edwin Maldonado, 15-1.
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