United expected for the San Marcos, one of three Feb. 1 stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – In the autumn, United nearly won a race in which he was not expected to be a factor and lost a race in which he was favored.

United’s surprise second by a head at 51-1 to eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita on Nov. 2 was followed by a neck loss at even money to Oscar Dominguez in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Del Mar on Dec. 1.

The season may have ended with a disappointing loss, but trainer Richard Mandella saw enough from United through the fall to hope for an important, and possibly international, campaign this year.

United figures to be a leading contender in the Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Feb. 1. A win could lead to a journey to the United Arab Emirates for the $6 million Dubai Sheema Classic at 1 1/2 miles on turf on March 28.

“We’d like to think about Dubai,” Mandella said on Friday in a phone conversation from Florida. “He’s on top of his game.”

This was a rough week for Mandella and his stable. He announced on Thursday that Omaha Beach would miss the $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park on Saturday with injury. Omaha Beach was the morning-line favorite and will be retired to stud.

While Omaha Beach was the stable’s leading runner in 2019, United was the top turf runner in the barn.

The $200,000 San Marcos Stakes is one of three graded stakes on the Feb. 1 program. The Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles is a prep for the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 4. The Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes, a $200,000 race at 1 1/8 miles, is a prep for the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on March 7.

The $100,000 Lewis Stakes is expected to include Thousand Words, the undefeated winner of the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity last month.

The San Marcos candidates include Oscar Dominguez and Cleopatra’s Strike, who won the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles here in September. Cleopatra’s Strike was later fourth in the Hollywood Turf Cup and second in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes here on Jan. 4.

Roadster, the winner of the 2019 Santa Anita Derby and second to Omaha Beach in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes here at seven furlongs on Dec. 28, is part of a field for the San Pasqual expected to include King Abner and Midcourt, who were second and third in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 28.

The stakes winners Restrainedvengence and Two Thirty Five are expected runners along with Bold Endeavor, who won an optional claimer on Jan. 4.