Richard Mandella

Pin Oak Stud's Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) checked stakes winner off his list with an off-the-pace victory in the Affirmed S. at The Great Race Place late on Sunday afternoon. After a sparkling 5 3/4 length debut win Jan. 29 at Santa Anita, the bay colt was second in the GII San Felipe S. to Practical Move (Practical Joke) before he was sidelined with a slightly-elevated fever before the GI Santa Anita Derby. Off at odds of 1-2 here, Geaux Rocket Ride was determined to live up to...

Window Shopping (American Pharoah) pounced on long-time leader Ancient Peace (War Front) with a furlong to run in Saturday's GII Summertime Oaks and edged away late to a first win at the graded stakes level. Beaten for speed, the $700,000 Keeneland September purchase settled between rivals just behind the pace which was set inside by GI Kentucky Oaks third The Alys Look (Connect) with outside pressure from Ancient Peace. The well-backed second favorite, The Alys Look began to back out of it with three-eighths of a mile to race, leaving...

We've taken the plunge into the deeper end of the prep pool for the GI Kentucky Derby. Five nine-furlong stakes each awarding 100 qualifying points are scheduled over the next two Saturdays, after which this list will expand to the Top 20. 1) FORTE (c, Violence--Queen Caroline, by Blame) 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-South Gate Farm (KY); T-Todd Pletcher. Sales history: $80,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $110,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt, MGISW, 6-5-0-0, $1,833,230. Last start: 1st GII Fountain of Youth S....

Several prospects targeting the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby April 8 worked Sunday including the top three finishers of the GII San Felipe--Practical Move (Practical Joke), Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Skinner (Curlin). Practical Move, out of Tim Yakteen's barn, worked five furlongs in :59 seconds. "Straightforward drill, looked good," Yakteen said. "He was just cruising like he always does. It makes my job easier." Geaux Rocket Ride worked six furlongs for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, completing the move in 1:12.20. "The rockets are ready to...

Last year, we conducted a popular Q and A series called 'Smaller But Still Super,' where we featured veteran trainers who have built a competitive racing stable with relatively small numbers (click here to view the archive). This year, we will highlight trainers who have already cut their teeth as novice trainers, but now have a few years of experience under their belt and are looking to make a name for themselves as they grow their stable. We'll talk about the challenges that come with hanging out your single, advice...

10th-Santa Anita, $68,000, Msw, 3-17, 3yo, f, 1m (off turf), 1:37.95, ft, 16 1/2 lengths. WINDOW SHOPPING (f, 3, American Pharoah--Delightful Joy {GSW, $179,200}, by Tapit), last seen sandwiched at the start and bravely making up ground to take sixth in her Nov. 13 juvenile unveiling at Del Mar--a race yielding SW Broadway Girls (Army Mule), showed a new dimension here in this off-turf contest. Leaving the blocks at 3-5 and stalking from cover early in fourth, she moved up to press the leaders at the half-way point and dueled...

For owner/breeder Bruce Chandler, patience was a virtue rewarded when his eye-catching Spirit of Makena captured the GIII San Carlos S. in just his four career start. A head shy from perfection in his spaced-out career, Spirit of Makena debuted late in his 4-year-old season; not seen until an Aug. 5 maiden special at Del Mar last season. He was hounded every step of the way on his step up to allowance optional company Sept. 11 in his first trip at the mile and just couldn't hold off Holden the...

5th-Santa Anita, $69,000, Msw, 2-12, 3yo, f, 6fT, 1:09.42, fm, 1 1/4 lengths. TEENA ELLA (f, 3, War Front--Beholder {Ch. 3-year-old Filly, 2x Ch. Older Mare, Ch. 2-year-old Filly, MGISW, $6,156,600}, by Henny Hughes), the third foal out of Beholder, became the champion's first winner while making her turf debut at Santa Anita Sunday. The 2-1 favorite broke alertly and was keen while in tight quarters between rivals battling for the lead in the early strides. She settled back just off the dueling leaders behind fractions of :22.76 and :45.71....

How apt that one of Burt Bacharach's very first hits was The Story Of My Life. Because reading the tributes prompted by his loss a couple of days ago, it turns out that his music was pretty well a soundtrack to the lives of millions who--especially in the Sixties, an era of profound societal tension between materialism and idealism--wanted assurance that the essential bonds of humanity still united them all. He transcended those divisions much as he did musical genres, knowing that the middle-aged hosts of suburban cocktail parties and...

Burt Bacharach, a famed music composer and songwriter and a Grade I winning horse owner, passed away Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 94. The Associated Press reported that he died of natural causes. When not in a music studio, Bacharach could often be found at the racetrack, enjoying a sport he called "exhilarating." According to a 1994 feature in the Los Angeles Times, Bacharach, who was born in Kansas City, became a racing fan while growing up in Queens. He said he would make "mind bets"...

Finally out from under And Tell Me Nolies's (Arrogate) shadow, ICE DANCING (Frosted) broke through for her first graded-stakes win in two prior tries and earned 10 points on the road to the Kentucky Oaks with a 3 1/4-length closing performance in the rescheduled GIII Santa Ynez S. Third behind the daughter of Arrogate when debuted at Del Mar Aug. 14, she rebounded with another third second-time out in the GI TVG Del Mar Debutante S. but had to settle for fourth in her first try at the Great Race...

The red-and-white colors of Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms will not be seen on the racetrack again. Eighteen months after Porter passed away after a long battle with cancer, the final horse still owned by Fox Hill, Royal Ship (Brz) (Midshipman), has been acquired by Porter's son, Scott, and will race under the name of Fox Hollow Farm. Siena Farm LLC has retained its minority interest in the horse. "We could have kept him running in Fox Hill silks, but, accounting-wise, it made sense to put an end to that...