Forbidden Kingdom will continue to improve, Mandella says

ARCADIA, Calif. - There was a simple reason why Forbidden Kingdom was a comfortable winner from the front in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita on Saturday in his first start around two turns.

“I cut the brake wires,” trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday.

Owned by the MyRacehorse partnership and Spendthrift Farm, Forbidden Kingdom has led or disputed the pace in each of his races. Mandella said that is unlikely to change anytime soon.

“I think he’ll improve as we go,” Mandella said Sunday. “We don’t want to change too much all at once.

“He left the gate nice and relaxed. I’m not sure he couldn’t sit, but that wasn’t the day to do it. It’s better to let him do his thing. He’s sensible. He likes to run.”

Forbidden Kingdom enhanced his status among Triple Crown contenders with the win in the San Felipe, a prep for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby at 1 1/8 miles on April 9. Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Forbidden Kingdom led by as many as seven lengths and prevailed by 5 3/4 lengths over the well-regarded Doppelganger.

Forbidden Kingdom has never been worse than third in five starts. He began his 2021 season with a win by 2 1/2 lengths over Pinehurst in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs on Jan. 29. Pinehurst won the $1.5 million Saudi Derby in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 26.

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Soothsay out of training

Soothsay, the winner of two Grade 2 races as a 3-year-old in 2021, is out of action until the autumn after recently being diagnosed with a splint bone injury.

Trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday that Soothsay will have “a couple of months off.”

“Her works have been good, but I thought they should be a little better,” he said. “She didn’t look like herself. We did a scan and the splint lit up.

“Hopefully, she’ll be back in the fall. I think there is a lot there. We have to get it right.”

Owned by Raydelz Stable, Soothsay has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $431,800. She won the Santa Anita Oaks and Indiana Oaks at Indiana Grand last year.

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