Tamara still pointing toward La Brea despite falling short in prep

DEL MAR, Calif. – Although heavily favored Grade 1 winner Tamara lost her allowance comeback by a nose on Friday at Del Mar, the runner-up finish stamped Beholder’s daughter a key player in the filly and mare division this winter Santa Anita.

“Other than not winning, I couldn’t be more happy,” trainer Richard Mandella said Saturday morning at Del Mar. “She got some schooling in there, and the other filly looks like a helluva nice filly.”

The other filly is Sandy Bottom, a 3-for-3 comeback stakes winner trained by Michael McCarthy who set the pace and held off Tamara to win the six-furlong race in 1:10.06. Sandy Bottom and Tamara both earned an 82 Beyer Speed Figure; it was the first start of the year for both.

Tamara and Sandy Bottom could meet again Dec. 26 in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies on opening day of the Santa Anita winter meet.

Despite losing the allowance at 2-5 odds, Tamara was the story. She usually is. Sired by Bolt d’Oro and produced by Hall of Fame mare Beholder, Tamara was a budding star in 2023. She won the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante by more than six lengths, then finished off the board as the favorite in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and came out of the race with a splint injury.

The Friday allowance was her first start in a year, and one could argue she was best. While the winner Sandy Bottom popped the gate and sped clear, Tamara broke slow from the rail. “She kind of jumped up a little and got off bad,” Mandella noted.

She rolled up inside, hard-held by jockey Mike Smith. “She was pulling on him pretty good, but he was afraid if he took her out [in the clear] he’d miss the chance to catch that filly,” Mandella said.

Tamara swung outside into the stretch, and had the length of the lane to get by, but Sandy Bottom held her ground. It was 4 1/2 lengths back to third-place finisher Anywho.

“My filly showed a lot of heart,” Mandella said, referring to Tamara’s trip. “She wanted to go forward, not backward.”

Her 82 Beyer is modest, but Tamara has a history of improving with a prep under her belt. Last year, she improved 11 points from her debut to the Del Mar Debutante in which she earned a 91. Mandella confirmed the La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita would be her target.

Sandy Bottom was making her first start for McCarthy since winning the Anoakia Stakes in October 2023. Umberto Rispoli rode Sandy Bottom to the front-running victory. Sired by Omaha Beach, Sandy Bottom would be a contender in the La Brea if McCarthy runs her there.

Other 3-year-old fillies who are potential La Brea nominees include Hope Road, Sugar Fish, One Magic Philly, Brightwork, and Kinza.

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