Mandella goes three deep in Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes
ARCADIA, Calif. – The girls are making Richard Mandella smile this week – Beholder at Keeneland, and three fillies and mares at Santa Anita.
Beholder recovered from shipping fever and is training full steam ahead into the Breeders’ Cup Classic. Back home at Santa Anita, Mandella holds a strong hand in the Grade 3 Sen. Ken Maddy, a closing-day 6 1/2-furlong turf sprint in which he starts three of the eight runners.
The Mandella-trained Baruta may start favored despite a letdown in her most recent start Sept. 6. Favored in the CERF Stakes at Del Mar, Baruta finished sixth.
It was her third start of the short meet.
“I think it was one too many,” Mandella said. “I gave her a freshening, and I think she’ll run very well. I think they all will run well.”
Mandella also will start Spirit of Xian, a 3-year-old graded stakes winner facing older for the first time, and Off the Road, a Group 1 winner in Brazil making her U.S. debut.
In addition to the Mandella trio, the Maddy field includes stretch-runners Chat’s On Top and Theatre Star, course specialist Velvet Mesquite, front-runner Amaranth, and longshot Kool Kat.
The graded stakes-placed Baruta has won on the 6 1/2-furlong hillside turf course at Santa Anita, and earned speed figures that qualify her as the horse to beat.
Spirit of Xian won the Grade 3 Providencia in April and finished second last out in the Unzip Me down the hill for 3-year-old fillies.
“She’s run really well down the hill, and I wanted to get in another one,” Mandella said.
Off the Road’s South American record is outstanding – three wins, including two Group 1’s, and three seconds from seven starts. Her only subpar race was her most recent start, which came in January in Brazil. Mandella said she was compromised by a foot problem.
“She might need one to shake off the cobwebs,” Mandella said.
Sen. Ken Maddy, Race 5
KEY CONTENDERS
Baruta (Last 3 Beyers: 75-84-92)
◗ Rafael Bejarano takes over for sidelined Flavien Prat. Baruta should get a good trip forwardly placed behind the speed.
◗ Baruta has five wins and seven runner-up finishes from 20 starts, and runs well fresh. She began her career in Brazil.
Spirit of Xian (Last 3 Beyers: 89-61-83)
◗ Spirit of Xian has won 3 of 14. Her two starts on the hill have produced a second and a third.
◗ Spirit of Xian began her career in Europe.
◗ Joe Talamo has ridden Spirit of Xian all six of her U.S. starts, and rides her again Sunday.
Off the Road
◗ Mike Smith will ride Off the Road, whose record in Brazil suggests the 6 1/2-furlong Maddy distance could be too short.
◗ Off the Road is expected to be positioned in the back half of the field. Most turf sprints this fall have been won by forwardly placed runners.