Santa Anita roundup: Mandella wins both undercard stakes

Under stout restraint early, Seal Team rocketed off the turn for home to register a gutty, half-length win in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Twilight Derby on the Breeders’ Cup undercard at Santa Anita.

Seal Team was trained by Richard Mandella, the Hall of Famer who also won with Salesman in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G2) that opened the card.

Ridden to perfection by Umberto Rispoli, England-bred War Front colt Seal Team got 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:47.29.

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Breaking from post 7 in a field of 13, Seal Team was full of run at the rail under the wire the first time around and was about six lengths off the lead while mid-pack as the field headed up the backside. 

Although Rispoli had to bide his time awaiting running room three furlongs out, he found a seam two paths from the rail around the turn, tipped three deep turning for home and, in a thrilling finish, overtook Silver Knott in deep stretch.

A first-condition allowance winner over the course at 1 1/8 miles Oct. 8, Seal Team was off at 7-1 in his first stakes engagement and paid $16.60, $7.60 and $4.20.

Bred by Bass Stables and owned by Ramona and Perry Bass, the bay colt out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Mrs McDougal has run exclusively on turf to a record of 5: 3-1-1. With Saturday’s winner’s share of $150,000, he increased his earnings to $260,960.

Shipping from Colonial Downs, trainer Charlie Appleby’s England-bred Silver Knott, forwardly placed throughout, battled gamely and prevailed by a nose over Webslinger for second money. Ridden by William Buick, Silver Knott was off at 3-1 and paid $5.20 and $3.60.

The 5-2 favorite under Javier Castellano, Webslinger rallied eight wide at the top of the lane and, in a furious finish, just missed the place while finishing a nose in front of a resolute Reiquist, returning $2.80 to show.

Fractions for the Twilight Derby were 23.56, 47.18, 1:11.07 and 1:35.33.

Salesman cruises in TAA marathon

France native Flavien Prat, who got his start in North America while in the employ of Mandella, made it look easy at the marathon distance of 1 5/8 miles Saturday. He pointed Mandella’s Ireland-bred Salesman to a facile, 8 1/4-length victory in the $250,000 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance.

Allowed to walk the dog on the front end through splits of 23.66, 48.30, 1:12.87, 1:38.87, 2:04.19 and 2:30.50, Salesman closed the deal on the race result heading to the far turn for the final time. He eased off to a five-length advantage over Win the Day and Antonio Fresu with three furlongs to run and turned the rest of the TAA into a mere procession.

Winless in three starts for Mandella in Southern California, Salesman was most recently third going 1 1/16 miles on dirt in the restricted Los Alamitos Special on Sept. 17.

The second choice in a field of five at 3-1, Salesman paid $8.60, $4.00 and $3.60.

Owned by Wertheimer et Frère, for whom Prat rode early in his career in France, the 6-year-old gelding picked up his first group- or graded-stakes win and improved his record to 26: 4-6-5.  With the winner’s share of $155,000, he increased his earnings to $335,300.

Although he set out after the winner leaving the half-mile pole, Win the Day could make no impact and finished second by 20 lengths over Kiss Today Goodbye. Off at 7-2, Win the Day paid $4.60 and $4.00.

Kiss Today Goodbye, ridden by Víctor Espinoza, finished another 23 lengths in front of long shot Serifos and paid $4.20 to show after going off at 5-1.

Europe invader Siskany, an England-bred trained by Appleby and ridden by Buick, was never a factor at 4-5, and he finished last.