Mandella has eye on Del Mar Handicap for United

United, a promising 4-year-old gelding trained by Richard Mandella, will have his first start of the Del Mar summer meeting in an allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option at 1 1/8 miles on turf in Wednesday’s second race.

United’s intended second start of the Del Mar summer meeting will be significantly more important. The optional claimer is designed as a prep race for the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf on Aug. 17, a $250,000 race Mandella described on Sunday as “very possible.”

Owned by Larry Roth’s LNJ Foxwoods, United was second in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on May 25 in his stakes debut. He clipped heels when the field crossed from the hillside portion of the turf course to the main turf course early in the race, but recovered to finish second by three-quarters of a length to Marckie’s Water.

Flavien Prat was aboard United in the Whittingham and has the mount on Wednesday.

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Marckie’s Water is a candidate for Sunday’s Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf, a race Mandella considered for United before selecting the optional claimer.

“I’m trying to use my conditions,” Mandella said. “I thought this would be a good thing to do.”

United has won 2 of 7 starts. He won an optional claimer at a mile at Santa Anita in April, a distance Mandella thinks is below the gelding’s ideal trip.

Wednesday, United must catch Dr. Troutman, a 5-year-old gelding who won an allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option at 1 1/8 miles in a 15-1 upset.