“I’m going to hope he’s in good enough shape to run in the Cougar, but that’s a long race on the dirt. Mandella would like for Tizamagician to try to defend his title in the $125,000 Cougar II Handicap (G3) on July 24, but he is unsure whether he’ll be ready to go the 1 1/2-mile trip in his first start off a nearly eight-month layoff. Off since November, the 5-year-old horse by Tiznow returned to the work tab April 30 and has been breezing steadily at Santa Anita. This year’s edition is scheduled for Sept. Last year, Royal Ship was seventh in the $1 million Pacific Classic (G1) in his final start of the season.

But it’s possible he makes the Pacific Classic the second half of Del Mar.' I’ll give him a couple works and go from there. “It wasn’t bad, but I gave him an easy couple of weeks and things are going good now,” he said. Mandella said the 6-year-old gelding by Midshipman exited the Gold Cup “a little stiff and sore.” He has not worked since the effort. He finished a no-threat third in a field of five. The Brazilian-bred won the John Shear Mile in April in his first start of the year and was the even-money favorite in the Hollywood Gold Cup (G1) on May 30. We’ll just get him back here and put him on a schedule.”Īs the Southern California racing scene shifts to Los Alamitos this weekend, followed by the Del Mar summer meet the third week of July, Mandella shared the latest on more of his stable standouts for an HRN Barn Tour. It didn’t turn into anything terrible,” Mandella told Horse Racing Nation on Wednesday. The good news is Forbidden Kingdom was scheduled to arrive back on Thursday to Mandella’s Santa Anita barn.

He was sent to Chino Valley Equine Hospital for treatment. With that eventually remedied, Forbidden Kingdom was back galloping at Santa Anita until earlier this month, when he suffered what Mandella described as a “nasty” bout of colic. It was subsequently determined Forbidden Kingdom had a breathing problem that required a bit of time off. He finished dead last after setting the pace for three-quarters of a mile. Unfortunately, it has not been a smooth couple of months for the son of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.Īfter winning the San Vicente (G2) and San Felipe (G2) at Santa Anita early in the year, Forbidden Kingdom was made the even-money favorite in the Santa Anita Derby (G1). It was showcased by the emergence of high-class 3-year-old Forbidden Kingdom for owners Spendthrift Farm and My Racehorse. It was another productive stand for the 71-year-old Hall of Famer, who over the decades has had momentous runs at Santa Anita. Click here for Los Alamitos entries and results

Beholder names