Hall Of Famer Trainer Richard Mandella Hoping History Repeats In Saturday’s TVG.com Haskell Stakes 23 Years Later
At 0h32, on July 22, 2023 • By MONMOUTH PARK
During his Hall of Fame career trainer Richard Mandella hasn’t run many horses at Monmouth Park. In fact, it’s been 23 years since he last brought one to the Jersey Shore to contest the track’s marquee race.
“I was waiting for the right horse,” said Mandella, who will saddle Geaux Rocket Ride in the Grade 1, $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes on Saturday. “We think this is the right horse for the right race at the right time.”
Mandella, who will always be associated with the great race mare and four-time Eclipse Award winner and Hall of Famer Beholder – he has also won nine Breeders’ Cups – knows how to spot horses.
In his only other Haskell appearance, he took home the hardware when Dixie Union crossed the wire first in 2000. Now he looks to keep his record perfect.
“This is a tough race,” said Mandella, who has retained Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith to ride the Pin Oak Stud color bearer when the son of Candy Ride breaks from the rail as the 9-2 morning line choice in the field of eight 3-year-olds.
