richard mandella | Horse Racing Free Tips

Minimum Fine for Mandella’s 4C Positive in San Simeon

Trainer Richard Mandella has been fined $500 by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) for a Class 4 and Penalty Category C methocarbamol positive that turned up in the post-race test of Jolie Olimpica (Brz) (Drosselmeyer) after the MGSW mare ran third in the GIII San Simeon S. at Santa Anita Mar. 13.

The stewards' ruling was issued May 29. According to the original May 7 complaint, split-sample blood testing had confirmed the presence of the skeletal muscle relaxant.

Methocarbamol's 4C categorization is on the least-severe side of the scale on the Uniform Classification Guidelines for Foreign Substances list published by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI).

Mandella, a Hall-of-Fame conditioner who has been training since 1974, shows three other low-category medication fines of $500 each in the ARCI's rulings database: One for phenylbutazone and flunixin in 2018 at Santa Anita, one for methocarbamol at Santa Anita in 2011, and one for naproxen at Arlington Park in 2007.

In California, a trainer's first violation within a 365-day period for a Category C drug violation can result in a minimum fine of $500 to a maximum fine of $1,000 (absent mitigating circumstances).

CHRB spokesperson Mike Marten confirmed that Mandella paid the fine the day after the ruling was issued.

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Crazy Beautiful Finds Kentucky Oaks Redemption In Summertime Oaks At Santa Anita

Kentucky-based Crazy Beautiful made amends for a disappointing effort in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks as she rallied three-wide turning for home en route to a 1 ¾-length win in Sunday's G2, $200,000 Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Ken McPeek, ridden by Mike Smith and saddled today by locally based trainer Karen Headley, Crazy Beautiful got 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.85.

Last after the first half mile, about three lengths off speedy Lady Aces, Smith saved ground at the rail around the far turn and allowed his filly to idle a bit as longshot Plum Sexy, to his immediate outside, began to tire. Approaching the quarter pole, Smith then angled out to tackle both Lady Aces and heavily favored Soothsay, who was all-out at that point to make the lead while Crazy Beautiful didn't gain the advantage until deep stretch.

“She broke really well, I noticed in the Kentucky Oaks (on April 30), she got slammed leaving there, never really giving her the chance to run,” said Smith, who was aboard Crazy Beautiful for the first time today. “So, I knew (with) a better break and the way she's bred with Liam's Map (and an) Indian Charlie mare, she has some speed if you needed it.

“For a minute there I thought about going to the lead, but they went up there and entertained themselves enough to where I felt confident (about taking off the early pace). With a short field, I was hoping Plum Sexy would drop back and I'd get out when it was time.”

A winner of the G2 Gulfstream Park Oaks two starts back on March 27, but 10th, beaten 10 ½ lengths in the G1 Kentucky Oaks April 30, Crazy Beautiful was the second choice in a field of four sophomore fillies at 6-5 and paid $4.60 and $2.10 with no show wagering.

A Kentucky-bred filly by Liam's Map out of the Indian Charlie mare Indian Burn, Crazy Beautiful is owned by Phoenix Thoroughbred III. In notching her second graded stakes win, she improved her overall mark to 9-4-3-0 and with the winner's share of $120,000, increased her earnings to $520,865.

“She didn't get here to my barn until eight or nine Thursday night, so we just walked her Friday morning,” said Headley. “Mike came out and galloped her Saturday, so I really didn't do much with her at all.”

A winner of her first two starts including the G2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 3, Soothsay sat second, just off of Lady Aces to the top of the lane and then was all-out to finally overhaul her with a sixteenth of a mile to run, at which point the winner blew by both of them.

Trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by Flavien Prat, Soothsay was off at 4-5 and paid $2.10 to win while finishing 1 ¾ lengths in front of a gallant Lady Aces and Umberto Rispoli.

Fractions on the race were 23.66, 48.36, 1:12.84 and 1:37.42.

First post time for special holiday racing on Memorial Day, Monday is at 1 p.m. Three G1 stakes, the Hollywood Gold Cup, the Shoemaker Mile and the Gamely will highlight a nine-race program. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Mandella: United Exits Dull Whittingham Effort With Throat Irritation

United, a disappointing fourth and last beaten almost five lengths as the 3-10 favorite in Saturday's Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., came out of the race well except for “a little bit of a sore throat,” Richard Mandella said Sunday morning.

“That's all we could really find,” the trainer said. “Other than that, he looks good. The horse was never in the race like he usually is.”

Comments in the Equibase chart noted United “never responded.”

“I'm hoping he's not getting sick,” Mandella said, “but he looks fine this morning, although he does have some irritation in his throat.”

Mandella was understandably proud of the 8-year-old War Front gelding Bombard winning the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes Saturday by 1 ¼ lengths as the 7-10 favorite, but had no immediate plans for his next race.

“We're shopping, trying to figure the next one out,” he said.

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Better With Age: 8-Year-Old Bombard Digs In For Daytona Stakes Score

Quick from the gate and head and head to deep stretch with speedy Law Abidin Citizen, heavily favored Bombard simply wouldn't be denied in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as he prevailed by 1 ¼ lengths under Flavien Prat. Trained by Richard Mandella, the 8-year-old gelding by War Front got 6 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:14.47.

Most recently second in a tough classified allowance going six furlongs on turf at Santa Anita on April 25 and only beaten 3 ¼ lengths two starts back in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, Bombard added blinkers for the first time in this his 18th career start and notched his first-ever graded stakes victory at a point in life where most of his classmates have been retired.

“He's as good as he's ever been, for sure,” said Mandella. “I don't race him much, he's got a few problems that we have to take care of, but he comes back and he pays us back. We'll keep doing that as long as he's having a good time and so are we.”

Off as the 3-5 favorite in a field of five older horses, Bombard paid $3.40, $2.80 and $2.10.

“He broke really well and put himself in the race,” said Prat, who has now ridden by Bombard to a total of five victories. “I don't think the blinkers had anything to do with his race. I love to win.”

Owned by Perry Bass II, Ramona Bass, Adele Dilschneider and Waddell Hancock II, Bombard, who is out of the Distorted Humor mare Witty, was making his second start of the year and is now 18-6-6-2. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $459,771.

Idle since Aug. 29, Law Abidin Citizen finally threw in the towel a sixteenth out, enabling others to secure the minor placings.

Last for nearly the entire trip, Majestic Eagle unfurled a good stretch run to take second by a head over French-bred Commander. Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Majestic Eagle was off at 9-1 and paid $6.00 and $2.80.

Commander, who sat third most of the trip, finished third by a length and quarter and paid $2.80 to show while off at 6-1 with Juan Hernandez.

Law Abidin Citizen, a multiple graded stakes winner, was ridden by Abel Cedillo and held fourth by a nose over Jamming Eddy.

Fractions on the race were 21.63, 44.17 and 1:08.13.

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