Mandella hopes Bal a Bali's turn troubles are over in Charles Whittingham
ARCADIA, Calif. – Bal a Bali’s career has been filled with twists and turns – from Brazil to Florida to California, from laminitis to recovery, and, later this year, from turf to dirt.
But the turns that most concern trainer Richard Mandella are on the Santa Anita turf course, where Bal a Bali runs Sunday as the favorite in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes.
“He sometimes struggles around turns,” Mandella said. “He always wants to kind of hang to the right. It’s an old problem. It’s not new. Even in South America he ran with his head kind of sideways.”
The quirk was tolerable as long as he piled up wins. Bal a Bali won 11 of 12, including the Brazilian Triple Crown, prior to being purchased by Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farms. But after shipping to a Florida quarantine facility, he developed laminitis, a potentially life-threatening hoof disease. He recovered, and continued his journey to California.
Bal a Bali scored an impressive Grade 3 victory in his U.S. debut in May 2015, but since then has lost six stakes. Part of the problem has been his inefficiency on turns.
“On the smaller tracks here, he always kind of leaned out on the turns,” Mandella said.
Mandella tinkered with equipment and changed to a Houghton bit, which is used to keep a horse from lugging in or out.
“It worked, but he didn’t like it,” Mandella said. “It was a little too severe, and he kind of gave me the finger about it.”
For the San Francisco Mile one month ago, Mandella returned to a conventional bit, and added an outside blinker. He said jockey Flavien Prat “did not have to fight him so much, and it worked pretty good.”
Bal a Bali finished third by a neck in the San Francisco Mile, behind one-two finishers Alert Bay and Gabriel Charles. It was a solid effort, and though Bal a Bali technically will move up in class from Grade 3 to Grade 2, he is facing an easier field Sunday.
p>The Whittingham will be the first time Bal a Bali has raced 1 1/4 miles since Brazil, where he won four times at or beyond the distance. If he runs well Sunday, plans call for Bal a Bali to make his first start on dirt in the Grade 1 Gold Cup on June 25.
Charles Whittingham, Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Bal a Bali, by Put It Back
Last 3 Beyers: 100-100-101
◗ Prat entered the weekend as the meet’s leading turf rider. Through May 26, Prat was 7 for 24 on turf.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Bal a Bali. Trainer Mandella is 21-1-4-5 with a $0.28 ROI over the past five years in turf route graded stakes at 10 furlongs and up. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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A Red Tie Day, by Indygo Shiner
Last 3 Beyers: 96-93-76
◗ Trained by Richard Baltas and ridden Sunday by Mario Gutierrez, he set the pace and finished fourth last out at Keeneland in the Grade 2 Elkhorn at 1 1/2 miles on turf. He benefits from the cut-back to 1 1/4 miles.
He is 3 for 4 on the Santa Anita turf.
Quick Casablanca, by Until Sundown
Last 3 Beyers: 98-95-95
◗ Ron McAnally trains this 8-year-old, winner of the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano last out at 1 7/8 miles. His rider is Tyler Baze.
Finnegans Wake, by Powerscourt
Last 3 Beyers: 90-94-92
◗ This Grade 1 winner finished sixth in his April 9 comeback.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No.9 Finnegans Wake. Holds a record of 14-6-3-0 in races at nine furlongs or farther on firm turf; his record in other races is 19-1-1-4. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 Royal Albert Hall. Won an optional claimer on March 25 at Santa Anita. The combined record in their next start of those he beat is 8-3-1-1. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan