Hall Of Famer Mandella aims for a stakes double opening day
At 21h03, on December 24, 2023 • By Santa Anita
Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella ranks fourth all-time in stakes wins at Santa Anita. With 142 stakes tallies to his credit entering the 2023-24 Classic Meet, he trails only Bob Baffert (217), Charlie Whittingham (204) and Bobby Frankel (146).
On opening day Tuesday, Mandella will have two chances to add to his total with Ice Dancing in the GI, $300,000 La Brea going seven furlongs on dirt and recent Grade II winner Salesman in the GII, $200,000 San Antonio at 1 1/16 miles on dirt.
Ice Dancing, listed at 6-1 on the morning line, will be making her second start following a 9 ½ month layoff. Winner of the GIII Santa Ynez going seven furlongs here in January, Ice Dancing returned in a 6 ½-furlong allowance here Oct. 28 and finished a grudging second by a half length after contesting the pace.
“It was good,” Mandella said of Ice Dancing’s comeback effort. “She needs to be a little better to win this, but I’m hoping she is.”
Ice Dancing is a homebred by Frosted for Perry and Ramona Bass. She will have Hall of Famer Mike Smith in the irons, who was also aboard for her comeback.
Mandella also hoped to enter allowance winner Coffee in Bed in the La Brea, but that plan was scrapped when training was halted this week for three days due to rain.
“The three days of lost training really hurt me with her. She’s a nervous-type filly who ties up and I didn’t want to take a chance,” Mandella said. “We’ll have to wait for the La Canada.”
Salesman cuts back in distance for the San Antonio following an 8 ¼-length romp in the GII Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance when going1 5/8 miles here Nov. 4. It was just the second start on dirt for the 6-year-old Irish-bred gelding by Dubawi, who started his career in France.
“He’s doing great. We’re going to have to hope he can run as good at this distance as he did at a mile-and-five-eighths,” Mandella noted.
Salesman is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line for the San Antonio. Smith will take over in the irons for Flavien Prat, who was aboard for the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance win but has opted for 9-5 favorite Subsanador in this spot.
The San Antonio goes as the sixth race on Tuesday’s 11-race program. Post time is approximately 4:30 p.m. PT. The La Brea is 10th race with post time at approximately 6:30 p.m.
