Mandella goes after La Canada upset with Wild At Heart
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Barring something short of a Beholder-like performance, Richard Mandella realizes he’ll need some luck if Wild At Heart is to turn the tables on Vale Dori in Saturday’s Grade II La Canada Stakes for fillies and mares, four and up, at 1 1/16 miles.
Vale Dori, trained by Bob Baffert, defeated Wild At Heart by three lengths last out in the Grade II Bayakoa at Del Mar, spotting her rival five pounds in the process.
“Vale Dori won easy,” Mandella said. “We have to hope her shoelace comes untied or something.”
The field for the La Canada, race five of nine: Vale Dori, Mike Smith, 1-5; Show Stealer, Tyler Baze, 12-1; Wild At Heart, Flavien Prat, 9-2; Enduring Erin, Corey Nakatani, 8-1; and Autumn Flower, Drayden Van Dyke, 12-1.
‘SHOW’ ME THE MONEY SADLER DQ AWAY FROM PERFECTION
John Sadler would be batting 1.000 in the money at Santa Anita through nine racing days, had it not been for a disqualification.
The 60-year-old trainer, soon embarking on his fourth decade as a successful mainstay in California, has sent out 13 runners, winning with five, with four seconds and three thirds, a 92 percent in the money average.
When St. Reno was disqualified from third to fifth in the second race on Dec. 29, it ruined what would have been a perfect in the money mark for Sadler.
“Even with the rainy weather, we’ve been very selective with what we run on off tracks,” Sadler said in explaining his consistency. “That’s probably why the percentage is so good.
“We’ve been lucky we’ve had a few horses that have handled it well (foremost was the Argentine-bred Infobedad, who won by 26 ½ lengths on a wet/fast track Jan. 1, believed to be the largest winning margin ever at Santa Anita).
“Like everybody else, the big picture is it’s good for the state (which has long been drought-stricken). The rain brings a lot of water, but this being California, it won’t last that long.”
Meanwhile, Stellar Wind, champion three-year-old filly of 2015, continues to prepare for her 2107 debut despite minor bumps in the road due to the inclement weather.
“She’s on the track every day,” Sadler said. “She’s had a little setback in that she should be galloping more instead of jogging, which is what she’s being doing, but when we get good weather, we’ll be fine.”
FINISH LINES: When Mike Machowsky sends out Southern Keys in Saturday’s seventh race, it will be the first horse he’s run for the late Donald J. Blahut since his long-time owner died last June 20 at the age of 87. “He was a great man; everybody loved him,” said Machowsky, who trained 22 years for Blahut, part owner of 2004 Santa Anita Handicap winner Southern Image and stakes-winning turf star Caracortado. “Southern Keys’ mother (Dixie Image) is a full sister to Southern Image,” pointed out Machowsky. A resident of Newhall, Blahut was born in Emporia, Kansas, and had horses with the late Leonard Dorfman prior to joining up with Machowsky . . . The Voice of Santa Anita, Michael Wrona, and horse player Sebastian Piscuskas will be Tom Quigley’s guests, Saturday and Sunday, respectively, in the East Paddock Gardens at 11:20 a.m. . . . Santa Anita presents holiday racing on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It will also be Dollar Day, with beer, sodas and hot dogs on sale for a buck apiece. First post time is 12 noon. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.
Source: Santa Anita Park
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