Richard Mandella

The mantle passes. Now that he is himself such a model for young Californian trainers, it is touching to think of Richard Mandella back in the days when he, too, would look up to those who set the standards in the previous generation. "I remember sitting in my box seat, with my horse going to the post, and I could feel my heartbeat all the way through my body," he recalls. "People used to think I was taking it well, but I wasn't inside. I could feel the pounding. And...

Pleasantly Perfect (Pleasant Colony--Regal State, by Miswaki), who completed a historic Breeders' Cup four-timer for trainer Richard Mandella in the 2003 GI Classic and went on to sire a trio of top-level winners, passed away Wednesday in Turkey. He was 22 years old and died of natural causes. Bred in Kentucky by Clovelly Farms, Pleasantly Perfect was purchased by Gerald Ford's Diamond A Racing Corp. for $725,000 at the 1999 Keeneland September sale. Turned over to Mandella, the strapping bay won back-to-back runnings of the GII Goodwood Breeders' Cup H....

It's a sobering fact of life that the act of raising a child is a largely unacknowledged affair. For sure, birthdays, holidays and other celebratory moments garner plenty of photographs and Facebook likes. But beyond the narrow confines of the family nucleus, there's only very limited patience for whether little Billy shoved a battery up his nose, or whether darling Annie, dressed as a lobster, stole the show in her elementary school production of Moby Dick. But rarely--only very rarely--do the formative exploits of individual children garner universal interest. Think...

Fox Hill Farms Inc.'s exciting Jolie Olimpica (Brz) (Drosselmeyer) makes her first two-turn North American start in Saturday's GII Buena Vista S. at Santa Anita. A perfect three-for-three in Brazil, capped by a six-length romp going a mile over heavy ground in the G1 Gran Premio Jockey Club Brasileiro at Gavea last June, the chestnut was subsequently sold privately and turned over to Richard Mandella. She debuted in the Fox Hill red and white in the local GIII Las Cienegas S. Jan. 11, scoring by 1 1/4 while lowering the...

If a horse is standing at a major farm in Kentucky you can be assured that he was a quality racehorse. That's Omaha Beach (War Front--Charming, by Seeking the Gold). He earned $1.6 million, won three Grade I races and would have been the favorite in the GI Kentucky Derby if not for a minor issue that led to his being scratched. But what separates Omaha Beach, who is entering stud this year at Spendthrift Farm, from so many others is his versatility. During his 2019 campaign, he won at...

In what may be an unprecedented example of bad luck for a major race, Saturdays's GI Pegasus Invitational lost not just its marquee star, but also its second choice Thursday. The day kicked off with the news that GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Spun to Run (Hard Spun) would be scratched due to a skin issue. About five hours later, it was learned that morning-line favorite Omaha Beach (War Front) would also be a late scratch as trainer Richard Mandella discovered his colt had an issue with his right...

Hallandale Beach, FL - The activity at Gulfstream Park continued to amplify as the post positions were drawn for this weekend's $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. Presented by Runhappy and the $1-million GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. at Frankey's Sports Bar in The Village at Gulfstream Park. Headlining Saturday's main track event, Fox Hill Farm's Omaha Beach (War Front) drew post five in the field of 12, much to the satisfaction of Richard Mandella. He was installed the 7-5 favorite for the nine-furlong race. "Couldn't ask...

Editor's note: What's in a name is a new feature where we give a shout-out to owners and trainers whose cleverness might have gone right over our heads the first time... by Andrea Branchini ODYSSEUS, (c, 4, Candy Ride {Arg}--Charm the Giant {Ire} {GSW, $336,309}, by Giant's Causeway. Santa Anita, $56,500, Msw, 1-17, 4/up, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.49, gd. O-Cheyenne Stables LLC, Perry R Bass II & Ramona S Bass; B-Ron & Deborah McAnally (KY); T-Richard E Mandella. "Charming the giant" is exactly what the hero of the Odyssey did with...

1st-GP, $50K, Msw, 3yo, f, 5fT, 12:00 p.m. ET Debby Oxley's FEELING FUNNY (American Pharoah) was well meant when entered in a five-furlong turf test at the Hallandale oval Dec. 22, however, failed to get the job done after the race came off the turf and had to settle for third as the 6-5 favorite. The $875,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad has been training sharply at Palm Meadows for Mark Casse since then, including a four-furlong move there in a bullet :47.10 Jan. 5. Out of stakes winning Funny Feeling (Distorted...

Fox Hill Farms Inc.'s Omaha Beach (War Front) breezed five furlongs in 1:00.42 (XBTV video) at Gulfstream Park Sunday in advance of the Jan. 25 GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational. Jockey Julien Leparoux was aboard for the work, however, Mike Smith is expected to be up for the $3-million race. Facing a strong headwind in Sunday's move, Omaha Beach cut out internal fractions of :23.92 and :35.77, galloping out six furlongs in 1:14.35. "Everything was good," Leparoux said. "To me, it looked very nice, very smooth. He was happy doing...

The older filly and mare division could be sensational this year. Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lure) is coming off a stellar 4-year-old campaign and will be seen next battling the world's best horses in the Feb. 29 Saudi Cup. Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) is set to return to the races after a layoff of more than a year and will try to duplicate her 2018 form, when she was an Eclipse Award winner and the winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. And now you can add Jolie Olimpica (Brz) (Drosselmeyer) to...

It's never easy to predict with any confidence just how Brazilian form is going to stack up in the United States, let alone in graded stakes company. But Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella has perfected the art with country code 'Brz', having conditioned the likes of American Grade I winners Redattore, Sandpit, Siphon and Fox Hill Farm's Bal a Bali in addition to other graded winners Romarin, Cagney and Out of Mind. Fox Hill's newest import is Jolie Olimpica (Brz), a daughter of GI Belmont S. and GI Breeders'...