richard mandella | Horse Racing Free Tips

Distorted Humor’s Soothsay Upsets Santa Anita Oaks

Stepping up into graded company fresh off a debut maiden victory over six furlongs, SOOTHSAY (f, 3, Distorted Humor–Spellbound, by Bernardini) was given a tremendous ride by leading jockey Flavien Prat, met the late-stretch bid of favored Beautiful Gift (Medaglia d'Oro), and went on to a gutsy victory in Saturday's GII Santa Anita Oaks in Arcadia. While Beautiful Gift and Moraz (Empire Maker) took the bulk of the betting and battled up front in a rematch of the GIII Santa Ysabel S., Soothsay tracked those two from behind. The opening quarter of :24.34 and the half in :49.04 passed uneventfully until Soothsay suddenly made a bold move, catching a hole at the rail and surging through in an instant to seize the advantage. Moraz and Beautiful Gift made a line of three turning for home, but Moraz was the first beaten, leaving her two rivals to settle it. Soothsay had a half-length on Beautiful Gift three-quarters from home and held sway despite the pressure on the outside. Beautiful Gift dogged her all the way to the wire, but the less-experienced Soothsay would not be denied. Prat gave her two right-handed reminders in early stretch and vigorously hand rode her the rest of the way home to secure a half-length win. The field had been reduced to four after the Saturday morning scratch of Doug O'Neill's longshot Brilliant Cut (Speightstown).

“We expected a lot of her from the first start and from that start until now, she just grew up,” said Hall of Famer Richard Mandella. “You kind of see it happening. Otherwise, we wouldn't do something like this. If you watched her last workout, you could see how serious she was. We'll see about the [GI Kentucky] Oaks. We asked a lot of her to do this, so we'll make sure we pare back whatever we need.”

Soothsay received 100 qualifying points toward the Kentucky Oaks with the Santa Anita win.

The Santa Anita Oaks was only Soothsay's second lifetime start and her first with any distance. In a case of deja vu, Soothsay followed the hoofprints of Mandella's Paradise Woods (Union Rags), who, in 2017, broke her maiden in a sprint and went straight to victory in the Santa Anita Oaks. That filly would become a MGISW and bank over $1 million. Soothsay bulleted Feb. 19 with five furlongs in :59 2/5 (1/32), then debuted a week later with a sound win over this track at six furlongs. She got her second bullet of the year Mar. 26–six panels in 1:11 2/5 (1/8)–just over a week before the Oaks.

Pedigree Notes:

Veteran sire Distorted Humor is responsible for Soothsay and 159 other black-type winners. Soothsay marks the 28-year-old WinStar sire's 70th graded winner. While his progeny have won all three Classics and have won or placed in a number of Breeders' Cup events, he has yet to have a winner of the Kentucky Oaks. Like Distorted Humor, Soothsay's dam, Spellbound, doesn't lack quality. She won the 2014 GII La Canada S. for Mandella and is by stellar broodmare sire Bernardini, who counts Soothsay as his 48th stakes winner out of a daughter. Spellbound, a half to MGSW Kid Cruz (Lemon Drop Kid), hails from the same family as 2018 Broodmare of the Year Stage Magic (Ghostzapper) and $4.4-million yearling Shah Jehan (Mr. Prospector). She has a 2020 filly by More Than Ready and delivered a Mar. 11 colt by Street Sense.

Saturday, Santa Anita
SANTA ANITA OAKS-GII, $392,000, Santa Anita, 4-3, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:44.35, ft.
1–SOOTHSAY, 124, f, 3, by Distorted Humor
                1st Dam: Spellbound (GSW, $231,750), by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Layreebelle, by Tale of the Cat
                3rd Dam: Voodoo Lily, by Baldski
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O-Claiborne
Farm, Perry R. Bass II, Ramona S. Bass & Adele B. Dilschneider;
B-Raydelz Stable (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella; J-Flavien Prat.
$240,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $276,600.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Beautiful Gift, 124, f, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Sea Gift, by A.P.
Indy. O/B-Baoma Corporation (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $80,000.
3–Moraz, 124, f, 3, Empire Maker–Malvinia, by A.P. Indy. O-Don
Alberto Stable; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY); T-Michael W.
McCarthy. $48,000.
Margins: HF, 5 1/4, 8HF. Odds: 4.20, 0.90, 1.90.
Also Ran: Javanica. Scratched: Brilliant Cut.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Charmaine’s Mia Bids For Third Consecutive Santa Anita Stakes Win In Royal Heroine

Fresh off of a pair of dominating turf wins, trainer Phil D'Amato's Charmaine's Mia heads a solid field of eight older fillies and mares going one mile on turf in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

First post time for a blockbuster 12-race card on Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Day, Saturday, is at 12 noon PT.

Previously headquartered at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Charmaine's Mia, in her first start for D'Amato was a rousing 2 ½-length winner of the G3 Las Cienegas Stakes going six furlongs on turf Jan. 9 while dismissed at odds of 16-1.

In her first-ever try at two turns, she pressed a fast early pace and went on register an emphatic one-length win going one mile on turf in the G2 Buena Vista Stakes Feb. 20. Ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat, Charmaine's Mia was off as the 6-5 favorite and never looked a loser, as she opened up turning for home and won easily while remaining well in front of the gallop out around the clubhouse turn.

Owned by Agave Racing Stable and Rockin Robin Racing Stables, Charmaine's Mia is a 5-year-old mare by top sprinter The Factor out of the Bernstein mare Charming Vixen. With Prat riding her back, she figures to be a short price to annex her third consecutive stakes win and improve upon an overall mark of 27-6-4-2.

Trained by Craig Lewis, Ben and Sally Warren's homebred Warren's Showtime has been a gem of consistency, compiling an overall mark of 17-6-1-8 while amassing earnings of $593,431. Patiently handled by Juan Hernandez in the G2 Buena Vista, she found her best stride late while finishing third, beaten 1 ¾ lengths by Charmaine's Mia.

A 4-year-old California-bred filly by red-hot sire Clubhouse Ride out of the G1 winning Affirmative mare Warren's Veneda, Warren's Showtime, a winner five starts back of the G3 Autumn Miss Stakes at one mile on turf Oct. 17, will hope to be on the move late and if someone can soften up the top selection early, she could make the Royal Heroine finish very close indeed.

Scratched out of Saturday's G3 Santa Ana Stakes to run in the Royal Heroine, LNJ Foxwoods' homebred Tapwater comes off a solid neck victory in a one mile turf allowance and will be trying stakes competition of the first time. Trained by Richard Mandella, Tapwater has three wins from eight starts, with all of her wins coming at one mile on turf and in partnership with Flavien Prat. With Prat opting to stay with Charmaine's Mia, Tapwater will get the services of Mike Smith.

A 5-year-old Kentucky-bred mare by Tapit out of the Indian Charlie mare Fiji Moon, Tapwater earned a career-best 90 Beyer Speed figure in her Feb. 12 allowance score and appears to be coming to her best for Mandella.

GRADE II ROYAL HEROINE STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 12 Approximate post time 4:00 p.m. PT

Dogtag—Umberto Rispoli–120
Tapwater—Mike Smith—122
Charmaine's Mia—Flavien Prat—124
Warren's Showtime—Juan Hernandez—122
Raymundo's Secret—John Velazquez—122
Laura's Light—Abel Cedillo—122
Rideforthecause—Mario Gutierrez—122
Ippodamia's Girl—Jose Valdivia, Jr.–120

Special early first post time for a 12-race Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Day card on Saturday is at 12 noon PT. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com, or call (626) 574-RACE.

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California’s Reigning Horse Of The Year, Muco Unusual Headlines Saturday’s Santa Ana Stakes

George Krikorian's multiple graded stakes winning homebred Mucho Unusual heads a solid field of eight older fillies and mares going a mile and one quarter on turf in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Santa Ana Stakes at Santa Anita.

Voted California-bred Horse of the Year for 2020 by the CTBA, Mucho Unusual will be tackling sharp recent allowance winner Tapwater, promising French-bred Neige Blanche, Irish-bred Red Lark and long-fused French-bred Altea in what shapes up as a terrific betting race.

A two-time graded stakes winner at the current meeting for trainer Tim Yakteen, Mucho Unusual, a 5-year-old mare by Mucho Macho Man, out of the Unusual Heat mare Not Unusual, comes off a solid second going one mile on turf behind rising star Charmaine's Mia in the Grade 2 Buena Vista on Feb. 20 and will appreciate the additional quarter mile on Saturday.

A winner of the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at a mile and one quarter on turf five starts back here on Sept. 26, Mucho Unusual also has a second place finish at the trip from three overall tries. Ridden by four different jockeys in her last four races, she'll handled by leading man Flavien Prat. The leading money earner in the field with $862,715, Mucho Unusual, a four-time graded stakes winner, has an overall mark of 20-7-4-4.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Tapwater, in her first start since Oct. 16, stalked the early pace and prevailed by a neck under Prat in a one mile turf allowance here on Feb. 12. Lightly raced, this 5-year-old LNJ Foxwoods homebred mare by Tapit has won two out of her last five starts, all at one mile on grass. With Prat opting to ride likely favorite Mucho Unusual, Mike Smith takes over as Tapwater tries a mile and one quarter for the first time in what will be her first stakes assignment. With three wins and two seconds from eight overall starts, she has earnings of $142,940.

One of two Leonard Powell-trained entrants, Neige Blanche has been idle since well beaten in the Grade 1 American Oaks at 1 ¼ miles on turf Dec. 26. A handy Group 3 winner going 1 3/8 miles on turf in her final French start on June 6, 2020, she showed ample promise in her first two stateside appearances, a close fourth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks Aug. 22 and a third place finish in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Sept. 19.

A maiden victress going a mile and one quarter on synthetic in her second start at age two, Neige Blanche is proven at the distance and would appreciate a fast pace when ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez on Saturday. Owned by Madaket Stables, LLC, Laura DeSeroux, Marsh Naify and Mathilde Powell, Neige Blanche, a 4-year-old filly, has three wins from nine career starts.

Trained by Paddy Gallagher and owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, 4-year-old Irish-bred Red Lark comes off an even fifth place finish in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Feb. 20. An upset winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks four starts back, she ran a solid fourth in the Grade 1 American Oaks on opening day and is another who would benefit from a lively pace. Handled in her last seven starts by Drayden Van Dyke, she'll be ridden by Ricky Gonzalez on Saturday.

Winless in five Irish starts, Red Lark has two wins from nine stateside starts as she seeks her second stakes victory in the Santa Ana.

Previously trained by eastern-based Chad Brown, French-bred Altea finished well when beaten 2 ¾ lengths by Mucho Unusual in her first start for Michael McCarthy, the Grade 3, 1 1/8 mile turf Robert J. Frankel Stakes on Dec. 27. Subsequently third going a mile and one half on turf in the Grade 3 Astra Stakes Jan. 17, Altea will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Abel Cedillo and is the only horse shortening up in distance on Saturday.

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

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

Mucho Unusual—Flavien Prat—124
Silberpfeil—Tyler Baze—122
Going to Vegas—Umberto Rispoli—120
Tapwater—Mike Smith—120
Red Lark—Ricardo Gonzalez—122
Neige Blanche—Juan Hernandez—122
Altea—Abel Cedillo—120
Colonial Creed—Mario Gutierrez–120

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. All of Santa Anita's races are offered free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can wager at 1st.com/bet. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Mandella Has United Fit For Return In 12-Furlong San Luis Rey; Prat Wins Five

Idle roughly five months since running a disappointing eighth in the Breeders' Cup Turf, Richard Mandella's classy turf star United came back running on Saturday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as he stalked the early pace and motored to an emphatic three quarter length win in the Grade 3, $100,000 San Luis Rey Stakes. Ridden by Flavien Prat, who notched his fourth win of the day, United, a 6-year-old gelding by Giant's Causeway, got a mile and one half on turf in 2:25.51.

Prat added a fifth win in the following race about Fratelli to extend his lead in the local jockey standings to 20 over Juan Hernandez.

With speedy Acclimate going to the front as expected in the run down the hillside turf, Prat was attentive to the pace and tracked the leader while applying mild pressure to the far turn, where he took over a quarter mile out and outran second choice Masteroffoxhounds from the top of the lane prior to holding off a late run from Say the Word.

“Hat's off to Mr. Mandella, he had him ready to run a mile and one half today,” said Prat, who has now guided him to five graded stakes wins. “He was traveling well the whole way and he responded well when I asked him to go. My horse likes to be in the race and he likes it when there is a good pace. I wanted to stay close to Acclimate, I didn't want him to get too easy of a lead.

“Like I say, we were traveling well and at the three eighths pole, I was in control. He likes the turf courses out here and with the Breeders' Cup at Del Mar, that's good. Hoping to have a good year.”

Heavily favored at 4-5 in a field of five older horses, United paid $3.80, $2.60 and $2.10.

“It's always nice to be home,” said Mandella. “He's won very nicely at Del Mar also, although we like The Great Race Place.”

Owned by LNJ Foxwoods, United, who is out of Indy Punch, by Pulling Punches, now has five wins from 10 starts over the Santa Anita turf and his overall mark stands at 18-8-4-1. With the winner's share of $60,000, he now has earnings of $1,513,549.

Patiently handled by Mike Smith, Say the Word made a nice late run, easily besting Masteroffoxhounds by one length. Off at 4-1, Say the Word paid $3.60 and $2.80.

A winner of the G2 San Marcos Stakes at a mile and one quarter on turf Feb. 6, Masteroffoxhounds sat third to the top of the lane and was unable to hold off Say the Word for the place. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, he was off at 2-1 and paid $2.20 to show while finishing five lengths clear of Acclimate.

Fractions on the race were 24.29, 47.18, 1:11.36, 1:36.01 and 2:00.80.

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