Forbidden Kingdom will switch to turf for comeback race

The two-time stakes winner Forbidden Kingdom, unraced since May, is expected to make his second career turf start in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on the hillside course at Santa Anita on Dec. 30.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Forbidden Kingdom has won 3 of 11 starts and earned $559,500 in a career plagued by setbacks. As a 2-year-old, he finished third on turf in the five-furlong Speakeasy Stakes at Santa Anita.

“I may try him in the Hernandez,” Mandella said on Friday a few hours after Forbidden Kingdom worked five furlongs in 1:02 at Santa Anita.

“I don’t have a dirt race.”

Forbidden Kingdom has not raced since he finished fourth of seven in the Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs at Santa Anita in May. Earlier in his career, the 4-year-old Forbidden Kingdom won consecutive starts in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes and Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes before finishing last of six in 2022 Santa Anita Derby.

Forbidden Kingdom was found to be suffering from a throat ailment at the time. He was later sidelined briefly because of a bout with colic and later because of a sore foot.

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After the Triple Bend, Mandella said Forbidden Kingdom would be rested with the intent of a comeback this winter.

“He needed a rest,” Mandella said. “I think he was sick of my training. The rest did him a lot of good. He’s doing great.”

The $200,000 Hernandez Stakes is expected to include two runners trained by Mark Casse in Lucky Score and Olympic Runner.

Lucky Score, a winner of 6 of 20 starts, was seventh by 2 1/4 lengths in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 4, racing in traffic through the stretch in the 13-runner field.

“I’ve always thought a mile was a little too far for him even though he ran well in the Breeders’ Cup,” Casse said.

Lucky Score won the Highlander Stakes at six furlongs on turf at Woodbine in July.

Olympic Runner has not raced since he finished seventh of 12 in the Grade 2 Woodford Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf at Keeneland on Oct. 7. Olympic Runner was a fast-closing fourth, beaten a half-length in the Grade 2 Ainsworth Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 9.

On Dec. 2, the Casse-trained Webslinger finished a game second in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar. Casse said on Friday that Webslinger is a candidate for the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27. The $1 million race is run at 1 1/8 miles.

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