Mandella thinks French import Salesman belongs in Shoemaker Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – Salesman has never run in a graded or group stakes, or in a race worth six figures. A three-time winner in France, Salesman has not started since June or in the United States. Despite those apparent shortcomings, Salesman is among the list of probable starters in Monday’s Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile on turf at Santa Anita.

Salesman has put in a series of rapid works at Santa Anita, leaving trainer Richard Mandella enthusiastic about the 6-year-old’s appearance in the $500,000 Shoemaker Mile.

“He’s training really good, like a Grade 1 horse,” Mandella said over the weekend. “Looking at his form, you don’t see it. He’s had time off and I think he’ll get better.”

Owned by Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, Salesman has won 3 of 22 starts, all in France and for trainer Andre Fabre. He won handicap races against large fields on turf at Compiegne and Saint-Cloud and on the synthetic track at Deauville, at distances ranging from 1 1/8 miles to 1 5/16 miles.

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How that will translate to the Shoemaker Mile will be known on Monday. The winner of the Shoemaker receives a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 4. Ramon Vazquez has been booked to ride Salesman.

Salesman worked six furlongs on dirt in 1:12.20 on May 8, 1:12.80 on May 15, and 1:12.80 on Monday.

Mandella has two other stakes runners in California during the holiday weekend.

Forbidden Kingdom, a two-time stakes winner who has not raced since a second to Spirit of Makena in the Grade 3 San Carlos Stakes on March 11, is scheduled to run at Santa Anita in Saturday’s Grade 2 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs. Spirit of Makena is also among the probable starters.

On Monday at Golden Gate Fields, Mandella runs Royal Ship in the $100,000 All American Stakes at a mile on the synthetic main track. Royal Ship won the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar last summer.

The Shoemaker field is expected to be led by Gold Phoenix and Hong Kong Harry. Gold Phoenix won the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf in a 10-1 upset on March 4, and was later fourth in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf on April 8. Hong Kong Harry was fourth as the even-money favorite in the Kilroe Mile, and second in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 6.

Gold Phoenix and Hong Kong Harry are trained by Phil D’Amato, who also starts Balnikhov, the winner of the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields on April 29.

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Other expected starters in the Shoemaker are Cabo Spirit, Du Jour, Exaulted, and Irideo.

Air Force Red is a candidate for the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes, a six-furlong turf race worth $400,000 at Belmont Park on June 1, rather than the Shoemaker Mile.

“If we’re going to win a Grade 1, six furlongs will be easier than a mile,” trainer Leonard Powell said.

Air Force Red won the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on Dec. 31.

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