Mandella makes plans for new turf stakes horses
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Trainer Richard Mandella will enter summer with two prominent distance turf runners who have changed barns – Sinsel, a Group 1 winner from Brazil, and Atitlan, a Grade 2 winner previously trained by the late John Shirreffs.
Sinsel “is a mile-and-a-half horse,” Mandella said.
Sinsel won 4 of 7 in Brazil, including two Group 1s. The 5-year-old is owned by Red Rafa Stud, which owned Brazilian Group 1 winner Planetario. In the U.S., Planetario won a Grade 2 and two editions of the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano for Mandella. Sinsel is likely to make his U.S. debut later this summer.
Atitlan, a 5-year-old who has not raced since last August, is expected to be nominated to the $100,000 Wickerr Stakes on July 19 at Del Mar. Atitlan won 4 of 12 starts for Shirreffs and owner John O’Conner, including two Grade 2s at Santa Anita – the Charles Whittingham and Twilight Derby. Atitlan could be joined by stablemate Sumter in the Wickerr.
Mandella said six-time stakes winner Big City Lights will be trained toward the Grade 2, seven-furlong Pat O’Brien Stakes on Aug. 29 at Del Mar. Big City Lights, a 7-year-old, has won nine races and $711,960 from 17 starts.
Big City Lights and Man O Rose rank among the top older Cal-breds. Man O Rose, a six-time stakes winner trained by Jeff Mullins, posted his first comeback work July 6 under Edwin Maldonado, covering three furlongs at Santa Anita in 35.60 seconds.
Two-time Cal-bred stakes winner Shea Brennan, trained by Phil D’Amato, is likely to start in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on July 18 at Del Mar.
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