It had been three days since Mandaloun worked six furlongs in 1:11.80 at Fair Grounds, and trainer Brad Cox’s eyes still lit up Wednesday morning when talking about the drill.

“Incredible work,” Cox said. “Amazing to watch.”

Mandaloun, in his major drill before shipping overseas for the $20 million Saudi Cup, galloped out seven furlongs into a headwind in 1:25.80. Mandaloun returned from a layoff in the Louisiana Stakes last month with a powerful win over Midnight Bourbon, with his work Feb. 13 hinting there might be even more to come.

The blue Godolphin silks do not regularly sail around the Indiana Grand racing ovals, but that is where a colt named Santin began his career last September. Trainer Brendan Walsh said he wasn’t certain he shipped a fully fit horse from Ellis Park, where Santin was based at the time, to Indiana Grand, now called Horseshoe Racing and Casino.

“He was just barely ready, and I thought if nothing else the race would set him up for Keeneland” in October, Walsh said.

As with the Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, who once employed him, the sight of a European import entered for the first time in an American turf race draws extra attention when the horse is trained by Chad Brown.

That’s a natural consequence of horses like Stacelita, Zagora, and Sistercharlie going on to win Eclipse Awards for Brown after starting their career overseas.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Pauline’s Pearl is nearing $1 million in earnings and could bid for the milestone next month at Oaklawn Park.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said Wednesday that the Stonestreet Stables homebred is being considered for a start in the Grade 2, $350,000 Azeri on March 12 at Oaklawn.

Pauline’s Pearl pushed her career earnings to $968,500 last month, when she won the Grade 3, $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston Race Park.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – My Boy Tate will seek a third victory in the $100,000 Hollie Hughes Stakes when the 8-year-old gelding makes his fourth appearance in the six-furlong sprint for New York-breds on Saturday at Aqueduct.

My Boy Tate won the Hollie Hughes in 2018 and 2021. He finished second to Amundson in 2020.

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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Happy Medium, third as the 1-5 favorite in Grade 3 Toboggan on Feb. 5, could make his next start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool here on March 5, trainer Michelle Nevin said.

Happy Medium had won three straight races in dominating fashion prior to the Toboggan. He set the pace in the Toboggan before finishing 10 1/2 lengths behind winner Drafted.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Tempt Fate is the Arkansas-bred of the year for 2021, said Deana Echols, the longtime executive secretary of the Arkansas Thoroughbred Breeders and Horsemen’s Association.

She said he will be honored at the organization’s April 15 banquet at the Oaklawn Event Center at Oaklawn Park. Echols said the guest speaker at the banquet will be Michael Blowen of Old Friends Farm.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – After initially planning to run Sea Foam in Saturday’s John B. Campbell at Laurel Park, trainer Michelle Giangiulio and her owners had a change of heart and opted to give the 7-year-old New York-bred stakes winner a freshening.

Sea Foam is at the Fair Hill training center in Elkton, Md., getting four to six weeks off.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Magic Circle, the dominant winner of the Busanda Stakes here on Jan. 23, will seek to further her résumé for a potential Kentucky Oaks bid when she runs in the $250,000 Busher Invitational at Aqueduct on March 5.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Saffie Joseph Jr. was relatively light on entries as another race week began Wednesday at Gulfstream Park. Not to worry, said Joseph – he fully intends to maintain his quest in becoming the leading trainer at the championship meet for the first time.

“We had a virus go through the barn that affected us the last few weeks,” said Joseph. “I knew things would slow down a bit, but the horses are all over it now, for the most part. They’re training back, and we’re going to have a pretty big March, hopefully.”