Amandine's win bodes well for Cohen family's European purchases

A promising victory by Amandine in an allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option at Del Mar on Thursday may be the start off a successful autumn and winter with European imports for the partnership of Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal.

Earlier this autumn, the family partnership, headed by father Jed and son Tim Cohen, bought six horses of racing age in England for approximately $680,000. Amandine, a 3-year-old British-bred filly by Shamardal, was not part of that group.

Tim Cohen, who heads Rancho Temescal, said in an email on Friday that Amandine was purchased privately. Trained by Jeff Mullins, Amandine closed from ninth in a field of 11 to win the optional claimer at a mile on turf by 3 3/4 lengths under jockey Drayden Van Dyke.

Cohen credited previous trainer David Simcock for keeping Amandine fit before she was sent to Mullins. Amandine has won 2 of 12 starts. In England, she won a maiden race at Leicester in July and was later second or third in four minor handicaps at Ascot and Newmarket.

Of the six purchased at the Tattersalls horses in training sale, five are 2-year-olds – Aadya, Cavernndchipmunks, Eagle Song, Mofakker, and Thriving – and the other is a 3-year-old maiden filly named Daybreak. Thriving was entered in Saturday’s Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes for fillies at Del Mar.

Cavernndchipmunks was third in the Criterium de l’Ouest at Craon, France, in September.

Of those purchases, Eagle Song was the most expensive at $210,000. Eagle Song, a colt by No Nay Never, was previously trained in Ireland by Joseph O’Brien. Eagle Song has won 2 of 8 races, including consecutive starts in minor handicaps on the all-weather track at Dundalk Racecourse in Ireland in October.