richard mandella | Horse Racing Free Tips

Q B One, Beholder’s First Foal, Approaches Debut Start

After a bit of a delay, Q B One, the first foal out of multiple Eclipse Award winner Beholder, is on track to make his first start in the coming weeks, Daily Racing Form reports.

Trainer Richard Mandella told DRF's Brad Free that 3-year-old Uncle Mo colt was “three or four weeks away from a race.”

A homebred for Spendthrift Farm, which also campaigned Beholder, Q B One was set to debut last year as a 2-year-old, but Mandella stopped on the colt after a July workout at Del Mar. The colt remains based in Southern California, where he most recently breezed five furlongs in 1:01.80 on Friday at Santa Anita.

Jolie Olimpica, Oleksandra Prepare For Rematch In Las Cienegas

Separated by a half length when they last met in May, Brazilian-bred Jolie Olimpica and Australian-bred Oleksandra head a field of seven older fillies and mares going six furlongs on turf in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Las Cienegas Stakes at Santa Anita.

Originally run at about 6 ½ furlongs down the track's Camino Real Hillside Turf Course, the 47th edition of the Las Cienegas will be contested for the first time ever out of Santa Anita's all-new turf chute.

Idle since running a big second in the G1 Jenny Wiley Stakes at Keeneland going a mile and one sixteenth on turf July 11, the Richard Mandella-trained Jolie Olimpica took last year's Las Cienegas at 5 ½ furlongs on turf in her U.S. debut four starts back on Jan. 11, 2020 and is a two-time graded stakes winner over the Santa Anita lawn.

A Group 1 winner in her native Brazil, Jolie Olimpica, in her third start for Mandella, held off a late surge from Oleksandra to prevail by a half length in the G2 Monrovia Stakes going 5 ½ furlongs on turf here May 25. Although Oleksandra had a full head of steam, she never got by Jolie Olimpica on the gallop-out in what was a very impressive win.

Trained by Neil Drysdale, Oleksandra was most recently ninth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint versus males on Nov. 7 and returns to her home turf with the services of regular rider Joel Rosario. A winner of the G1 Jaipur Stakes going six furlongs on the Belmont Park turf two starts back, she rallied from far back to be second, beaten a half length by Jolie Olimpica in the Monrovia.

In what will be her first stakes assignment, veteran trainer Art Sherman's Acting Out will be bidding for her third consecutive win with regular rider Abel Cedillo up. Forwardly placed in all three of her wins to date, this 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Blame seems to relish a fight and has won her last two allowance sprints by a combined 10 ¼ lengths. A maiden 5 ½ furlong turf winner here in her second start, Acting Out has three wins from five starts.

THE GRADE 3 LAS CIENEGAS WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 10 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Bohemian Bourbon—Juan Hernandez—120
Charmaine's Mia—Drayden Van Dyke—120
Acting Out—Abel Cedillo—120
Lighthouse—Umberto Rispoli—122
Superstition—Flavien Prat—120
Oleksandra—Joel Rosario—122
Jolie Olimpica—Mike Smith—122

Early first post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon. All of Santa Anita's races are offered free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager at 1st.com/Bet.

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Jolie Olimpica Set To Defend Title In Jan. 9 Las Cienegas

Richard Mandella has a busy weekend coming up at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., with Jolie Olimpica and Superstition ticketed for next Saturday's Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes for older fillies and mares going six furlongs on turf, and Amuse set for next Sunday's $75,000 Kalookan Queen Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 ½ furlongs on the main track.

Jolie Olimpica, a 5-year-old Brazilian-bred mare, will be making her first start since last July 11 when she finished second in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland. Mike Smith retains the mount. She won the Las Cienegas in her U.S. debut on Jan. 11, 2020, having been unbeaten and untested in three previous races in her native country.

Superstition, a 4-year-old daughter of 2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, makes her stakes debut after two straight victories at five furlongs on turf at Del Mar. Flavien Prat rides.

Amuse, a 6-year-old Medaglia d'Oro mare, last raced on Sept. 25, 2020, finishing third by a length in the G3 Chillingworth Stakes under Drayden Van Dyke, who will be back aboard in the Kalookan Queen.

“She just needed a break,” said the Hall of Fame trainer in explaining her absence of three-plus months.

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‘One Of A Kind’ Eddie Logan Honored On Sunday At Santa Anita

On Sunday, Santa Anita honors a historic link to its memorable past in Eddie Logan with the running of a $75,000 stakes, a one-mile turf race for 2-year-olds presented as the third race.

Logan plied his trade as a shoeshine attendant outside Santa Anita's Racing Office from opening day, Dec. 25, 1934, until just before his passing on Jan. 31, 2009 at the age of 98, a span of nearly 75 years.

His ingratiating personality and quick wit created an instant rapport with horsemen and fans alike, one of the most ardent Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.

“Eddie was one of a kind,” Mandella said. “He started out by looking after my shoes but we turned out to be great friends.

“I miss him every day when I walk through that hall by the Racing Office and not hear him talking.”

The Eddie Logan: Big Fish, Umberto Rispoli, 4-1; Commander Khai, John Velazquez, 7-2; Barrister Tom, Tyler Baze, 5-1; Beer Can Man, Juan Hernandez, 5-2; Cathkin Peak, Flavien Prat, 5-1; Party Game, Abel; Cedillo, 15-1; and Ebeko, Joel Rosario, 4-1.

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