Mandaloun, Midnight Bourbon on target for Saudi battle
Mandaloun and Midnight Bourbon, the one-two finishers in the Louisiana Stakes on Saturday, both appeared Sunday to have come out of the race in good physical condition and remain on track to start Feb. 26 in the $20 million Saudi Cup.
Mandaloun, making his first start since July, sat behind pacesetting Midnight Bourbon for the first three quarters of the 1 1/16-mile Louisiana before Florent Geroux guided his mount outside to engage Midnight Bourbon. The two 4-year-olds engaged in a vigorous stretch duel before Mandaloun edged clear late, clocking a fast 1:42.52, a raw time that produced a 106 Beyer, a career-best for Mandaloun.
That Mandaloun could hit a new top following a long break and after time off to grow and mature bodes well for his 2022 season.
“Definitely bigger, stronger, and more tuned-in mentally now,” said trainer Brad Cox, who seemed confident Mandaloun could at least repeat if not exceed his comeback run in the world’s richest race next month.
Midnight Bourbon raced in blinkers for the first time while returning from a two-month break. His 105 Beyer was not a career best, and trainer Steve Asmussen thinks there’s room to improve next month, particularly at the Saudi Cup’s one-turn, 1 1/8-mile configuration, though Midnight Bourbon now hasn’t won a race since the 2021 Lecomte Stakes last January.
“They didn’t bother him; he handled them really well and ran a very fast race,” Asmussen said, asked to assess the blinkers effect. “It’d be easy for him to move forward off that race.”