richard mandella | Horse Racing Free Tips

Subconscious Looks To Add Another Graded Stakes To Resume In Thunder Road

A Grade 2 winner over the course two starts back, Richard Mandella-trained Subconscious heads a field of six older horses going one mile on turf in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Thunder Road Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Most recently fifth, beaten 2 ¼ lengths in the G1 Hollywood Derby going 1 1/8 miles on turf at Del Mar Nov. 27, Subconscious pressed the pace two starts back en route to an authoritative 1 ¼ length win going the same distance in the G2 Twilight Derby on Oct. 31, which was his third consecutive win.

Owned by LNJ Foxwoods, Subconscious took a one mile turf allowance in similar fashion three starts back on Oct. 2 and with Juan Hernandez back in the saddle, he looks to be the horse to beat as he shortens up a furlong for the Thunder Road. A 4-year-old gelding by Tapit, Subconscious has raced exclusively on grass while compiling an overall mark of 7-3-1-1.

A sharp third, beaten a half length at 5-2 in the G3 San Gabriel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on dirt Dec. 26, Phil D'Amato's Ready Soul gets back to his preferred surface as he seeks his first stakes victory in what will be his 14th career start. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux in the San Gabriel, he'll get the services of John Velazquez in the Thunder Road. Owned by Slam Dunk Racing, Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC and Michael Nentwig, Ready Soul, a 5-year-old gelding by More Than Ready, has two wins from three tries over the Santa Anita turf.

D'Amato's Count Again, who kept good company while winless in five starts last year, has been idle since running fifth to multiple Grade 1 winner Mo Forza in the G2 Del Mar Mile (turf) on Aug. 21 and looms dangerous with Flavien Prat taking over for the first time.

A 7-year-old gelding by Awesome Again, Count Again was bred in Ontario, Canada, by his co-owner Sam-Son Farm. A graded stakes winner in both Canada and Southern California, Count Again has two wins from four tries at one mile on turf and will likely try to rally from well off the pace on Saturday. Owned by Sam-Son Farm and Agave Racing Stable, Count Again has four wins from 13 overall starts and earnings of $403,665.

GRADE 3 THUNDER ROAD, WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 1 of 9 Post time 12:30 p.m. PT
1. Subconscious—Juan Hernandez—124
2. Sniper Kitten—Christopher Emigh—124
3. Count Again—Flavien Prat—124
4. Delaware—Mike Smith—124
5. Ready Soul—John Velazquez—122
6. Hurricane Cloud—Umberto Rispoli—122

First post time for a nine-race card which will include three graded stakes on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.

Source of original post

Pharoah Colt Forbidden Kingdom Denies Baffert Trio In San Vicente; San Felipe Next

In a thoroughly dominant performance, trainer Richard Mandella's Forbidden Kingdom blasted off from the gate and never looked back en route to a 2 ¼ length victory in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes at Santa Anita. Ridden by Juan Hernandez, the chestnut son of American Pharoah got seven furlongs in 1:22.75 and stamped himself a candidate for the Grade 1, $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 9.

Fresh off a troubled second place finish going seven furlongs in the G3 Bob Hope Stakes Nov. 14 at Del Mar, Forbidden Kingdom made no mistakes today from his rail post position as he carved out sizzling splits of 21.86, 44.49 and 1:09.31.

“He's as quick as they come,” said Mandella, who indicated he would stretch Forbidden Kingdom out to a mile and one sixteenth in the Grade 2, $400,000 San Felipe Stakes here on March 5. “In his last race, he tore a piece of his foot off (after stumbling at the start) and then we had a quarter crack. We had to fix it up and it is good and we hope it stays good.

“We'll have to try two turns down the road here. He's gotten better about everything. He was so professional today, everything went well. He used to get a little antsy in the gate. He's stumbled a few times.”

With odds-on favorite Doppelganger running a disappointing fourth, Forbidden Kingdom was never at any point challenged. Off at 7-2, he paid $9.80, $4.00 and $4.40.

“He has a lot of speed and sometimes he just runs off, but today he was a little different horse,” said Hernandez, who has ridden Forbidden Kingdom in all four of his starts. “It looked like he settled down a little bit more, so that helped a lot…He was really happy and comfortable there, so I just let him run.

“I felt at the quarter pole the other horses were coming from behind, so I just tapped him on the shoulder and I felt how he responded back, he never stopped.”

Owned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, LLC, Forbidden Kingdom, who is out of the Five Star Day mare Just Louise, picked up $120,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $194,000 while notching his second win.

Bob Baffert stablemates Pinehurst and McLaren Vale ran two-three, separated by neck. Pinehurst, who sat second the entire trip, was off at 9-5 and paid $3.00 and $3.60 with Mike Smith up.

Ridden by Abel Cedillo, McLaren Vale, who sat third throughout, finished a neck clear of stablemate Doppelganger and paid $4.80 to show while off at 8-1.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Doppelganger, an impressive first-out maiden winner going six furlongs at Los Alamitos Dec. 11, never threatened for the win but hit his best stride late while finishing 20 lengths clear of longshot What in Blazes.

The post Pharoah Colt Forbidden Kingdom Denies Baffert Trio In San Vicente; San Felipe Next appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Mandella Has Forbidden Kingdom Back On Track For San Vicente

Absent from the races two months, Forbidden Kingdom, a $300,000 son of 2015 Triple Crown king American Pharoah, returns in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Vicente Stakes for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

“He grabbed a quarter in his last race,” Richard Mandella said, alluding to the G3 Bob Hope at Del Mar on Nov. 14. “It was a bad one and it took a while to heal up, but he's back in good shape now.”

Forbidden Kingdom has been working smartly, as a bullet six furlong move in 1:12.40 at Santa Anita on Jan. 10 attests.

Bred by Spendthrift Farm which owns a share of the chestnut colt along with MyRacehorse, Forbidden Kingdom won his debut race at Del Mar last Aug. 21, then was third as the 9-5 favorite in the Speakeasy on turf at Santa Anita Oct. 1.

Forbidden Kingdom has had eventful trips in all three of his races, drifting out, getting bumped and stumbling, respectively.

Juan Hernandez, who has been aboard in all three starts, retains the mount.

The San Vicente is a race that could lead to the G1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 9.

San Vicente is one of three stakes Saturday and one of six next weekend at The Great Race Place.

With Horse of the Year favorite Knicks Go and the brilliant Life Is Good set to meet in the G1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational Saturday at Gulfstream Park, fans will be treated to a huge day of bicoastal racing at both Gulfstream in South Florida and at Santa Anita.

Ten graded stakes will be offered between the two venues with first live race post time for a nine-race program at Santa Anita 12:30 p.m. PT.

Complementing the San Vicente on Saturday are the G3, $200,000 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs for 4-year-olds and up and the G3, $100,000 Megahertz Stakes at a mile on turf for older fillies and mares.

Sunday's attractions are the G2, $225,000 San Marcos Stakes for older horses at 1 ¼ miles on turf, and two $75,000 events, the Lady of Shamrock Stakes at a mile on turf for 3-year-old fillies and the Baffle Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on turf for 3-year-olds.

The post Mandella Has Forbidden Kingdom Back On Track For San Vicente appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Letter To The Editor: Mandella Cites Veterinarian Blea’s ‘Honor And Exceptional Care For Equine Welfare’

The following letter from Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella is in reference to the investigation of California Horse Racing Board equine medical director Dr. Jeff Blea by the California Veterinary Medical Board and Blea being placed on administrative leave by the CHRB pending a Jan. 21 hearing.

I have known Jeff Blea for over 20 years. He became my main veterinarian, I believe in 2006, when Rick Arthur retired. I have trained racehorses since 1974 and I'm fortunate enough to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

I believe I've had some of the best veterinarians work for me starting with Jack Robbins, Rick Arthur and Joe Cannon. As they retired, Jeff Blea was next in line. I would say that Jeff is one of the best I have ever met. However that would be an afterthought compared to his integrity, honesty and desire to make racing a safer and better place.

Dr. Blea remains an outstanding ambassador to the sport. Jeff is highly educated, well experienced, honorable, and has always conducted himself so his actions align with the best interests of equine athletes. He was President of the American Association of Equine Practitioners and The Southern California Equine Foundation. He has served on numerous boards, committees, aftercare programs and research foundations.

Dr. Blea always discussed and made sure I understood the plan when deciding medication, treatment or procedures with the horse's best interest in mind. This is not like small animal vets that see the patients once or occasionally. The veterinarians are here every day as well as the trainers and assistant trainers and they know the horses very well.

In a 2015 interview on I Am An Equine Veterinarian, Dr Blea said – “There's an inordinate amount of trust between a human being and a horse. I love being around horses, being outside, working with them, and working on them. The racetrack is a unique environment, and the people are what make that community so enjoyable… When I retire and look back on my career, I'd like to say I was ethical. I was honest. I did not tolerate lying. I was a good father. I was a good friend. I was a good human being…”

I would say the man I know lives this statement. He didn't just make it up.

Dr. Blea is thorough, thoughtful, scientific and ethical in his medical approach. His honor and exceptional care for equine welfare should not be in question or carelessly attacked. For a man to overcome his injuries (his left arm and hand were paralyzed from a training accident while he was a jockey in his teens) and to have the career that Jeff Blea has had, he deserves an award of some kind instead of trashing the man's life, not just his career.

– Richard Mandella, Hall of Fame trainer, Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, Calif.

If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, please write to info at paulickreport.com and include contact information where you may be reached if editorial staff have any questions.

The post Letter To The Editor: Mandella Cites Veterinarian Blea’s ‘Honor And Exceptional Care For Equine Welfare’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post