Richard Mandella, © Zoe Metz Photography
MANDELLA AIMS TO BE FACTOR IN CLOSING WEEK STAKES
Thanksgiving, for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella and most other racetrack people, is not only a day to give thanks, but “a day to work.”
So there was Mandella, before dawn, supervising morning workouts here Thursday. And before he repairs to Red Tracton’s restaurant across the street from the track, for dinner with his family, Mandella will saddle maiden 3-year-old Luminary (12-1) in Thursday’s third race and 8-1 Ganesh in the featured Grade II $250,000 Hollywood Turf Cup.
He’ll be back Friday with Dreamologist in the fourth and 5-2 favorite Bal a Bali in the featured Grade II $250,000 Seabiscuit Handicap.
“They’re both doing great, we’ll see if they’re good enough,” Mandella said of his stakes horses.
Both Ganesh and Bal a Bali are Brazilian bred and came to Mandella after impressive campaigns in South America. Ganesh has yet to win in five U.S. starts, but was a good third in the Grade II Del Mar Handicap on August 22, beaten 2 ½ lengths by Big John B, the 3-1 second choice in the Turf Cup. Ganesh was fourth, beaten 4 ¼ lengths by stablemate Bal a Bali in an October 30 race that prepared both for their imminent competitions.
Bal a Bali, a winner of 11 of 12 starts in Brazil, had health issues shortly after arriving in the U.S. in the summer of 2014 and has two wins in four starts since returning to action in May. He was fifth in the Del Mar Mile Handicap on August 23 and freshened before the October 30 victory.
When the work day is over and thoughts turn elsewhere, “one of the things” Mandella said he’ll be thankful for is the champion race mare Beholder. She won the Pacific Classic and was targeting a showdown with American Pharoah in the Breeders’ Cup Classic before her illness voided the dream matchup two days before the race.
“She’s doing well,” Mandella said. “She’ll just rest until the first of the year and then we’ll figure out what to do once we get her back.”
The Hollywood Turf Cup field from the rail: Class Leader (Santiago Gonzalez, 20-1), Up With the Birds (Drayden Van Dyke, 4-1), Danas Best (Victor Espinoza, 20-1), Quick Casablanca (Tyler Baze, 30-1), Procurement (Joe Talamo, 20-1), The Pizza Man (Mike Smith, 5-2), Ganesh (Alex Solis, 8-1), Power Ped (Mario Gutierrez, 20-1), Texas Ryano (James Graham, 10-1), Generoso (Martin Pedroza, 30-1), Southern Freedom (Martin Garcia, 20-1), Power Foot (Tiago Pereira, 20-1), Wanstead Gardens (Gary Stevens, 20-1) and Big John B (Rafael Bejarano, 3-1). Also eligibles Flamboyant (Brice Blanc, 20-1) and Bird E House (Gonzalo Nicolas, 30-1) were scratched.
The field for Friday’s Seabiscuit from the rail out: Macro Access (Tyler Baze, 20-1), Toowindytohaulrox (Tiago Pereira, 20-1), Bal a Bali (Rafael Bejarano, 5-2), Seek Again (Jose Lezcano, 3-1), Avanzare (Drayden Van Dyke, 4-1), Abbey Vale (Santiago Gonzalez, 20-1), Midnight Storm (Victor Espinoza, 8-1), Alert Bay (Mario Gutierrez, 4-1) and Big Bane Theory (James Graham, 8-1).
WHAT’S IN A NAME -- HOLLYWOOD TURF CUP
Today’s featured Hollywood Turf Cup was inaugurated in 1981 and run at the same distance as the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf. The 2014 Hollywood Turf Cup, won by Finnegans Wake, was the first 1 ½-mile grass race in Del Mar history.
TRIO OF STAKES SHOULD MAKE FOR A SIZZLING SATURDAY
Three stakes with combined purses of $550,000 and a combined 35 horses entered highlight a nine-race card on Saturday, the penultimate day of the second Bing Crosby season.
Oddsmaker Russ Hudak has made Riri the favorite for the Grade III $100,000 Jimmy Durante Stakes, a one mile turf run for 2-year-old fillies which will go as the fifth race. Om is favored in the Grade I $300,000 Hollywood Derby, which drew a capacity field of 14 3-year-olds and one also eligible for a 1 1/8 mile turf test that will go as the seventh race. Status as the favorite went to Dortmund in the Grade III $150,000 Native Diver for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the main track which goes as the eighth.
The field from the rail for the Jimmy Durante: Do the Dance (Brice Blanc, 20-1), Coppa (Jose Lezcano, 6-1), Riri (Rafael Bejarano, 7-2), Optimism And Hope (Mike Smith, 12-1), Corps de Ballet (Gary Stevens, 10-1), Jeremy’s Legacy (Mario Gutierrez, 9-2), One Last Shot (Fernando Perez, 20-1), Sheeza Milky Way (Alonso Quinonez, 20-1), Wake the Dawn (Joe Talamo, 20-1), Mokat (Corey Nakatani, 6-1), Sutton’s Smile (Victor Espinoza, 8-1), Family Meeting (Drayden Van Dyke, 12-1), and Mirage (Tyler Baze, 8-1)
The field from the rail for the Hollywood Derby: Mister Brightside (Kent Desormeaux, 12-1), Sharla Rae (James Graham, 12-1), Vigilante (Joe Talamo, 20-1), Chiropractor (Corey Nakatani, 8-1), Om (Gary Stevens, 5-2), Fundamental (Victor Espinoza, 8-1), Crittenden (Mario Gutierrez, 20-1), Closing Bell (Jose Lezcano, 6-1), Soul Driver (Tyler Baze, 20-1), Money Multiplier (Drayden Van Dyke, 12-1), March (Rafael Bejarano, 10-1), Royal Albert Hall (Santiago Gonzalez, 20-1), Offering Plan (Mike Smith, 5-1) and Win the Space (Alex Solis, 20-1). Also eligible: Acceptance (Alonso Quinonez, 20-1).
The field from the rail for the Native Diver: Cat Burglar (Victor Espinoza, 12-1), Majestic City (Iggy Puglisi, 20-1), Dortmund (Gary Stevens, 6-5), Iron Fist (Mike Smith, 2-1), Big Cazanova (Santiago Gonzalez, 10-1), Yahilwa (James Graham, 12-1) and Imperative (Mario Gutierrez, 4-1).
LIVE FROM NEW YORK, FIVE VISITING RIDERS!
Jose Lezcano, the eighth-leading jockey by earnings in North America, will be the point man for four other New York-based riders headed to Del Mar over the weekend for stakes assignments.
Lezcano, No. 8 in North America for earnings in 2015 ($10,673,785), is scheduled for a three-day visit starting Friday. He has the mount on Belle Et Bete for trainer Phil D’Amato in Friday’s fourth race and Seek Again for Bill Mott in the Seabiscuit Handicap.
On Saturday, Lezcano has Coppa for D’Amato in the Jimmy Durante Stakes and Closing Bell for Mott in the Hollywood Derby. Lezcano closes his weekend with Manhattan Dan for Gary Contessa in the Cecil B. De Mille Stakes and Filimbi for Mott in the Matriarch.
On Sunday, Lezcano will be joined by New York colleagues John Velazquez, Joel Rosario, Silvestre de Sousa and Elvis Trujillo.
Velazquez, No. 3 in North America for earnings ($19,153,712), will ride Tusk for H. Graham Motion in the Cecil B. DeMille and Hard Not To Like for Christophe Clement in the Matriarch.
Rosario, Del Mar’s summer meeting riding champion from 2009-11 before heading east, will be aboard Olorda for Chad Brown in the Matriarch while de Sousa has Stellar Path for Clement and Trujillo has Recepta for James Toner in the same race.
MILESTONE WATCH, HOLLENDORFER ONE AWAY
Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer went 0-for-3 at Zia Park on Wednesday and remains one win shy of 7,000 for his career.
Hollendorfer has five starters in the first four races today at Golden Gate Fields, two each in the first and third races and one in the fourth, and one at Del Mar.
His representative here is Southern Freedom (20-1) in the Hollywood Turf Cup.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE BING
For the second Bing Crosby Season at Del Mar, we offer a daily note, quote or anecdote about the track’s founding father for whom the fall meeting is named.
While better known for his Christmas television specials, Bing Crosby also did several Thanksgiving radio specials in the 1940s and ‘50s which can still be heard through the miracle of YouTube.
LAS DAMAS OF FAIRBANKS RANCH TO HOST VETERANS
Six military veterans who have suffered post traumatic stress disorder will have a day at the races at Del Mar on Saturday as guests of the Las Damas of Fairbanks Ranch charitable group.
Winston Churchill famously said “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” Pegasus Rising, one of the charities that Las Damas of Fairbanks Ranch supports, and similar organizations across the U.S. are evidencing Churchill’s point by putting veterans and horses together to the benefit of both.
As Pegasus Rising’s website states: “(The) Equine Assisted Experiential Health Therapy (EAT) and Volunteer program participants embrace the rescued herd’s gift as a gateway to healing and personal development.”
A herd of 14 rescued horses was originally brought down from Sacramento to the Valenti Ranch in Rancho Santa Fe. In late August of 2014, it was relocated to the Escondido Equestrian Center for Natural Horsemanship in the Lake Wohlford area.
From there the non-profit organization’s service area encompasses San Diego, Orange, Riverside and Los Angeles Counties.
For further information, or to make a donation, access the website pegasusrising.org.
McCAUL, SHERMAN TOP WEEKEND HANDICAPPING SEMINARS
Charlie (Do It All) McCaul, whose many duties around the track include Clerk of Scales, and Art Sherman, trainer of California Chrome, will provide expertise and selections at the weekend handicapping seminars on Saturday and Sunday to close the season.
McCaul will do the honors on Saturday while Sherman will be host Tom Ferrall’s guest on Sunday.
The handicapping seminars begin at 11:30 a.m. and are conducted at the Seaside Terrace near the top of the stretch.
CLOSERS – Rafael Bejarano, winner of four straight summer meeting titles, enters the final four days of the Crosby meeting with a one-win advantage (17-16) over Santiago Gonzalez. Bejarano has 23 mounts scheduled through Sunday. Gonzalez, limited to one in each of the stakes Thursday and Friday due to a suspension, has 11 mounts combined on the Saturday and Sunday cards … Doug O’Neill enters the final four days with a two-win margin over Peter Miller (13-11). O’Neill has horses entered in 17 races for the rest of the meeting, Miller in 15.
Contact: Dan Smith 858-792-4226/Hank Wesch 858-755-1141 ext. 3793