Moulin de Mougin still pointed to Breeders' Cup despite fall

ARCADIA, Calif – Moulin de Mougin will be trained toward the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 1 despite falling in Saturday’s Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes.

Trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday that Moulin de Mougin escaped injury in the incident, which occurred about a quarter-mile from the finish of the race over 1 1/4 miles on turf. Moullin de Mougin was racing on the outside of the field and making progress on the leaders when she fell. Jockey Mike Smith told Mandella that Moulin de Mougin clipped heels with a rival.

“Mike said he saw the leg catch,” Mandella said. “I thought she just slipped. That was scary.”

After the fall, Moulin de Mougin quickly was on her feet and ran off before being caught on the backstretch of the turf course by an out-rider. Smith was not hurt and later won the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes with the star 3-year-old Shared Belief.

Mandella said Moulin de Mougin’s condition will be better known through October. Moulin de Mougin races for Ran-Jan Racing.

“We will look toward the Breeders’ Cup,” he said. “We’ll work her. If we get discouraged, we won’t do it.”

Slightly more than an hour after the 4-year-old Moulin de Mougin fell, Alexis Tangier, her 3-year-old half-sister, won her stakes debut in the minor Unzip Me Stakes over about 6 1/2 furlongs on the hillside turf course. Mandella said Alexis Tangier will return for the $100,000 Autumn Miss Stakes for 3-year-old fillies over a mile on turf Oct. 25.

Mandella expects Alexis Tangier to thrive at longer distances.

“I think she’d prefer it,” he said. “I was looking at the [Autumn Miss], and I thought no sense training up to that. I’ll try her in this.”