Del Mar: Medaglia d’Amour set to return

DEL MAR, Calif. - After a 15-month layoff, Medaglia d’Amour has been entered for Sunday’s $250,000 John Mabee Stakes for fillies and mares on turf, a race for which she is well prepared, trainer Ben Cecil said.

“She’s pretty fit but she’ll certainly benefit from a race,” Cecil said. “She’s had a lot of long workouts. I think she’s just getting to the point where she’s a bit bored – bored of working and needing to run.”

Owned by Cecil’s wife, Kristina, and Zillah Reddam, the wife of prominent owner Paul Reddam, Medaglia d’Amour was sidelined with sesamoid and tiba injuries. In the Mabee, the 5-year-old Medaglia d’Amour faces a field that includes defending champion Wasted Tears; the two-time Grade 1 winner Harmonious; as well as Celtic Princess, Cozi Rosie and Malibu Pier, graded stakes winners earlier this year.

“Soundness-wise, she’s fine,” Cecil said of Medaglia d’Amour. “It’s a very tough race, not an easy comeback race.”