Mrs McDougal's future may be on dirt

ARCADIA, Calif. – Mrs McDougal was a multiple graded stakes winner on turf before heading to California, but she has yet to reproduce that form in three starts here, so trainer Richard Mandella is thinking of trying something different. Mandella says Mrs McDougal has trained like she’s still eager to compete.

“She trains like she wants to run on dirt,” Mandella said earlier this week, a couple of days after Mrs McDougal finished fourth as the 8-5 favorite on Saturday in the Swingtime Stakes. “I may try her one turn on dirt. If I go long on the dirt and she doesn’t like it, it’s a long way.”

Mrs McDougal, now age 5, won the Grade 2 Lake George at Saratoga in 2015 and Grade 3 Noble Damsel at Belmont Park in 2016, both on turf, while trained by Chad Brown. She made her first start for Mandella in July after a layoff of nearly 10 months, finishing third in the Osunitas at Del Mar. She then finished seventh in the Grade 2 Mabee at Del Mar prior to the Swingtime.