Royally bred Q B One, given time to mature, nears first race

Q B One was among the most talked about 2-year-olds in California last summer, for good reason. The unraced colt is the first foal from three-time champion Beholder, he was sired by Uncle Mo, and early workouts indicated Q B One was special. But after a half-mile work in late July at Del Mar, trainer Richard Mandella pulled the plug.

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“He was doing well up to a point, and then kind of tailed off,” Mandella said. “He’s a big, growthy colt and needed to grow into the frame he’s got.”

The time off did him well. Q B One returned to the work tab in early December, and has not missed a beat since. The 3-year-old worked a half-mile from the gate Dec. 31, the fourth work of his pattern. “We’re three or four weeks away from a race,” Mandella said. Stay tuned.