bombard | Horse Racing Free Tips

With a recent race under his belt, Richard Mandella's Bombard perhaps rates a slim advantage over Mark Glatt's comebacking Law Abidin Citizen in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita. For older horses, the Daytona has attracted five older horses who will contest 6 ½ furlongs on turf.

A lightly raced 8-year-old gelding by War Front, Bombard led turning for home, but was collared by a razor sharp Gregorian Chant late when second, beaten a half length in a six furlong turf classified allowance here on April 25.

Owned by Perry Bass, Ramona Bass, Adele Dilschneider and Waddell Hancock II, Bombard, although winless in four starts last year, was nonetheless in top form for Mandella, evidenced by a narrow second place finish, beaten a neck, in a Grade III turf sprint at Kentucky Downs Sept. 12 and subsequent 3 ¼ length defeat in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland two starts back on Nov. 7.

With regular rider Flavien Prat back aboard Saturday, Bombard, who is four for nine over the Santa Anita turf, brings an overall mark of 17-5-6-2 and earnings of $399,771.

A graded stakes winner on both turf and dirt, Law Abidin Citizen has been idle since running a close third to top sprinter C Z Rocket in the Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar Aug. 29 and with four wins from nine lifetime starts over the Santa Anita lawn, rates a huge chance with Abel Cedillo back aboard.

A 7-year-old gelding by Twirling Candy, Law Abidin Citizen has tremendous early speed and can be counted upon to press or make the early pace on Saturday. Owned by Dan Agnew, Gerry Schneider and John Xitco, Law Abidin Citizen is 28-7-4-6 overall with earnings of $519,167.

THE GRADE 3 DAYTONA STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 5 of 9 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT

Majestic Eagle—Mario Gutierrez—122
Bombard—Flavien Prat—122
Jamming Eddy—Tyler Baze—120
Law Abidin Citizen—Abel Cedillo—122
Commander—Juan Hernandez—120

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Bombard Rates Slight Advantage For Saturday’s Daytona Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Memorial Day weekend at Santa Anita could remind Richard Mandella of a Breeders' Cup in miniature.

The Hall of Fame trainer, winner of nine Breeders' Cup races including four of the eight at Santa Anita on Oct. 25, 2003, has 11 nominations to stakes races this holiday weekend starting this Saturday through Memorial Day, Monday, May 31.

He plans to run most of them, two in Grade 1 events on Memorial Day, Royal Ship in the Hollywood Gold Cup with Mike Smith and Dogtag in the Gamely under Umberto Rispoli.

Multiple graded turf stakes winner United goes in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham on Saturday with regular rider Flavien Prat. “He's doing great,” Mandella said of United, who won the Whittingham by a nose last May.

Winner of eight races with a bankroll surpassing $1.5 million, Mandella refers to the 6-year-old Giant's Causeway gelding as “a big pet” around the barn.

Soothsay, unbeaten in two starts including the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks, goes in next Sunday's Grade 2 Summertime Oaks. “She's doing real well,” Mandella said of the bay daughter of Distorted Humor.

Last but not least, Bombard seeks his first graded stakes win in Saturday's Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on turf.

“I hope we do the best we can,” Mandella said in anticipation of a successful and prosperous holiday.

Santa Anita presents seven graded stakes on Memorial Day weekend, three of them Grade 1 on May 31: the Hollywood Gold Cup for 3-year-olds and up at a mile and a quarter; the Shoemaker Mile, a Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' Challenge Race on turf; and the Gamely for fillies and mares, thr3ee and up at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Next Saturday's features are the aforementioned Whittingham for 3-year-olds and up at 1 ¼ miles on turf, the Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes for 4-year-olds and up at seven furlongs, and the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes for 4-year-olds and up at 6 ½ furlongs on turf.

Next Sunday's headliner is the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks at 1 1/16 miles. In all, seven lucrative stakes will be decided over the holiday weekend offering $1.6 million in purse money.

Mandella's four Breeders' Cup winners in 2003 were Action This Day (Juvenile), Halfbridled (Juvenile Fillies), Johar (dead-heat in Turf) and Pleasantly Perfect (Classic).

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