Mandella opts for shorter Lady of Shamrock for Ruby Nell

Ruby Nell, a two-time stakes winner this fall, is expected to start in the $100,000 Lady of Shamrock Stakes at a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Dec. 31 instead of the Grade 1 American Oaks at 1 1/4 miles on Dec. 26, trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday.

Mandella said the shorter distance of the Lady of Shamrock Stakes has greater appeal than the $300,000 American Oaks. Both races are for 3-year-old fillies.

“I’m more likely to wait” for the Lady of Shamrock Stakes, he said.

The Lady of Shamrock Stakes is one of 12 stakes at Santa Anita from the Dec. 26 opening-day card through Jan. 1. There are six graded stakes on Dec. 26.

Owned by Spendthrift Farm, Ruby Nell has won 4 of 9 starts and earned $264,520. At Santa Anita on Oct. 1, Ruby Nell won the Unzip Me Stakes on the hillside turf course. She returned to lead throughout the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes at a mile on turf on Nov. 5.

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Ruby Nell finished fifth by two lengths in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes against older fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Del Mar on Dec. 3, the best finish in the field of 12 from a runner not trained by Chad Brown.

Mandella has two potential runners for the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes, Ice Dancing and Coffee in Bed. The $300,000 La Brea is for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on Dec. 26.

Ice Dancing won the Grade 3 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita last January before she was given a lengthy break. Ice Dancing was second in an allowance race at Santa Anita in her only subsequent start on Oct. 28.

Coffee In Bed, a two-time winner this year, was fifth in the Autumn Miss Stakes in her most recent start.

Mandella said that Tamara, the winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante in September and beaten favorite when seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita on Nov. 3, continues to recover from a splint bone injury.

Tamara will begin a month-long rest at a local farm in coming days, he said. The injury was diagnosed after the BC Juvenile Fillies.

“It’s healing great,” Mandella said. “A little more time and she’ll be back” to the track.

Mandella said Tamara may not race until late spring.

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