Mandella believes Classic distance won't be a problem for Subsanador

ARCADIA, Calif. – Subsanador’s summer campaign was briefly in chaos in July after the 5-year-old Argentine-bred was withdrawn from the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar when he was erroneously given the wrong medication too close to race time.

“It was my fault,” trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday. “I made a mistake.”

The situation forced Mandella to alter Subsanador’s schedule. Since then, Subsanador is unbeaten in two starts, including a career-defining win in the Grade 1 California Crown Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.

The win in the $1 million race gave Subsanador a fees-paid berth to the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 2 at Del Mar.

Mandella has Subsanador in the best form of his American career since the horse’s arrival from Argentina in late 2023. Initially, Subsanador was trained by John Sadler for his first two starts in the United States, which included a head loss to Newgate in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap at 1 1/4 miles in March.

After that race, Subsanador was sold privately to Wathnan Racing of Qatar and transferred to Mandella. Subsanador was fourth of seven in the Grade 2 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Santa Anita in May in his first start for Mandella.

Subsanador won the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes on Aug. 17 at Monmouth Park, after missing the San Diego Handicap. The Iselin was too close to the Grade 1 Pacific Classic on Aug. 31 at Del Mar to Mandella’s liking, which led to the plan for a start in the California Crown.

Subsanador, ridden by 59-year-old Mike Smith, won the California Crown at 1 1/8 miles by a head over National Treasure, who was a nose in front of Newgate in the field of six. Subsanador closed from fourth of seven with largely a ground-saving trip to reach the front in the final furlong.

Mandella is eager to see what Subsanador can do at 1 1/4 miles against nationally prominent competition, as well as an expected start from the star European 3-year-old City of Troy, in the BC Classic.

“I don’t see any reason to worry about it,” he said of the distance. “In the last two races, he’s shown a little more adjustability.”

Mandella, 73, won the 2003 BC Classic at Santa Anita with Pleasantly Perfect, along with three other races on an eight-race Breeders’ Cup program. Last year, he had a contender with Geaux Rocket Ride. A week before the race, Geaux Rocket Ride suffered a grave leg injury in a workout and could not be saved.

“One of the worst days of my life,” Mandella said.

A year later, Subsanador is the stable’s best hope for a win in the Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 1-2 at Del Mar. A disrupted campaign that led to one start instead of two in the late summer for Subsanador may have been beneficial in hindsight.

“Looking back, two races might have been too much,” Mandella said. “He’s not a big horse.”

The California Crown may produce several more runners for the Breeders’ Cup.

On Sunday, trainer Bob Baffert said National Treasure was more likely to start in the BC Dirt Mile on Nov. 2, while Newgate will be pointed to the BC Classic. Plans are uncertain for Muth, who finished last of six in the California Crown.

Muth won his previous two starts in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in March and the Shared Belief Stakes on Sept. 1 at Del Mar.

“We have to learn why he ran so poorly,” Baffert said.