By Joe Bianca
Juddmonte Farms' leading 3-year-old Mandaloun (Into Mischief), most recently seen capturing the GI TVG.com Haskell S. via disqualification, has a sore foot and will likely miss the remainder of the season's major races, Juddmonte racing manager Garrett O'Rourke confirmed to TDN. The homebred will now target the 2022 Saudi Cup.
“It's nothing serious, the horse just needs six weeks off, but unfortunately six weeks off at this time of year rules out some important races,” O'Rourke said.
The story was first reported by Daily Racing Form.
O'Rourke added that the goal for Mandaloun is now “100%” the Saudi Cup “because there's no way you can start back in October and make a race in November, so what's the point? He's been on the go since this time last year, so it probably makes sense, every horse needs a little bit of a break sometime and it makes more sense now to fit the program to the Saudi Cup.”
Named a 'TDN Rising Star' off an eventful debut score last October at Keeneland, Mandaloun stamped himself as an early GI Kentucky Derby contender with a victory in the GII Risen Star S. at Fair Grounds. Following a disappointing sixth as the favorite in the GII Louisiana Derby, the Brad Cox trainee bounced back with a strong second in the Run for the Roses, a race he likely will be awarded in the future due to the drug positive of winner Medina Spirit (Protonico). Annexing the Pegasus S. next out at Monmouth, the bay came up just short in a stretch battle with Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) in the Haskell before that rival was taken down for interfering with Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow).
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