NOTES BY GOLDEN

MANDELLA IS SMITTEN WITH DERBY FEVER

A FIRST FOR DESORMEAUX IN SAN LUIS REY

AGENT OSBORNE IS UPBEAT DESPITE LOSS

RETIRED HORSES FLOURISH AT CARMA SHOW

MANDELLA POINTS EXTRA HOPE TO SANTA ANITA DERBY

Richard Mandella, not known for unabashed enthusiasm when it comes to championing his own horses, admittedly has a touch of Derby Fever these days, a month and a week before the 145th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on May 4.

Reason number one: Omaha Beach, a striking three-year-old son of War Front who handed champion Game Winner his first defeat in the second division of the Rebel Stakes on March 16. Reason number two: Extra Hope, a three-year-old son of Shanghai Bobby, who was fourth in the first division of the Rebel, beaten only 3 ½ lengths.

“Omaha Beach will go in the Arkansas Derby (April 13), mainly because I think he needs that extra week,” said Mandella, who although he has enjoyed a laudatory Hall of Fame career, has never won the Kentucky Derby with six previous starters.

“Extra Hope is being pointed to the Santa Anita Derby (a week from Saturday, April 6). Drayden Van Dyke will ride him and Mike Smith will ride Omaha Beach.

“I’m very proud of Omaha Beach. He got me pretty excited. At this point, you could say both horses have given me Derby Fever.”

Fans will be treated to a stakes overload on April 6, with seven added money events worth $2,750,000 on the calendar, topped by the $1 million Santa Anita Derby and the $600,000 Santa Anita Handicap presented by San Manuel Casino.

In addition to the 1 ¼-mile Big ‘Cap and the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby, each holding Grade I status, Santa Anita will showcase the Grade I, $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks for fillies at 1 1/16 miles; the $200,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for three-year-olds at 6 ½ furlongs; the $200,000 Evening Jewel Stakes for three-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs; the Grade II, $200,000 Royal Heroine Stakes for older fillies and mares at one mile on turf; and the Grade III, $150,000 Providencia Stakes for three-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on the grass.

First post time on Big ‘Cap/Derby Day will be 12 noon.

DESORMEAUX, ASHLEY MEET IN SAN LUIS REY

Kent Desormeaux will add another notch to his Hall of Fame holster Friday albeit it a relatively minor one when he pilots Ashleyluvssugar in the Grade II San Luis Rey Stakes at a mile and a half on grass.

In his 33rd year as a jockey, it will mark the first time ever on the classy and consistent eight-year-old California-bred gelding. Desormeaux has never even worked the horse.

Not to worry, says trainer Peter Eurton, who in Ashleyluvssugar’s last 17 starts has given a leg up on the bay son of Game Plan to Tyler Baze, Gary Stevens, Joel Rosario and Flavien Prat.

But with Baze now riding at Oaklawn Park, Stevens retired, and Prat and Rosario fulfilling commitments in Dubai along with fellow Santa Anita-based riders Mike Smith and Joe Talamo, Eurton was contacted by Desormeaux’s agent Mike Ciani and gave him the call.

On paper, it seems the Louisiana native, who still holds the world record for most wins in one year, an incredible 598 in 1989, could be on the lead in the marathon race, although Ashleyluvssugar has won from a stalking position.

“I don’t think he has to be on the lead, but you just have to see how it unfolds,” said Eurton, himself a former rider until weight issues evolved. “That’s the good thing about having the outside post (six of six) . . . Kent knows how to ride, so I’m not going to tell him a whole lot.

“It’s a mile and a half. He knows it’s not a gate-to-wire race, but if they hand him the lead, and he has to take it, he has to take it. What are you going to do?

“The other jocks who have ridden him are not available, but we’re still left with a pretty good rider in Kent Desormeaux and I’m happy with that.”

In addition to winning the Kentucky Derby three times, Desormeaux’s 6003 career wins in North America from 31,668 mounts (19 percent) rank him 19th all-time and fifth among active riders. His mounts have earned $283,672,492.
While Eurton plays musical riders with Asheyluvssugar, who captured the San Luis Rey in 2015, the old boy has more than earned his keep winning 10 of 31 career starts.

His career earnings of $1,431,039 are more than his five San Luis Rey rivals combined

by $373,205.

The San Luis Rey, race seven of eight with a 1 p.m. first post time: Epical,

Tyler Baze, 2-1; Risky Proposition, Drayden Van Dyke, 5-1; Unapologetic, Geovanni Franco, 8-1; Beach View, Rafael Bejarano, 5-2; Marckie’s Water, Mario Gutierrez, 8-1; and Ashleyluvssugar, Kent Desormeaux, 5-2.

AMPUTATION DOESN’T SLOW DOWN AGENT OSBORNE

Popular jockey agent Dudley Osborne is back in action following a lengthy respite due to the amputation of his left foot in June of last year.

He is representing veteran Frenchman Brice Blanc.

“Brice has a good head on his shoulders, doesn’t have to fight weight, is professional and understands the game,” said Osborne, who wears a prosthetic that masks any hint of his loss until he lifts his pant leg to reveal it.

“We’re getting good feedback from horsemen,” Osborne said. “Everybody knows Brice has a very light pair of hands and he’s a great judge of pace.  Plus, he’s a first class guy  and handles himself well with everyone. John Shirreffs says Brice is fearless and doesn’t mind riding in tight spots.”

Osborne had no signs of any problems with his foot until he discovered a wound on the top of it, which ultimately led to the amputation.

He may not make the rounds on the backstretch as readily as before, but his positive attitude doesn’t prevent him from still walking and talking at the same time.

HORSES FLOURISH AT CARMA’S CLASSIC EVENT

Much like the wild flowers of spring, retired racehorses were in a super bloom at theThoroughbred Classic Horse Show (TCHS) on March 23 and 24 at Galway Downs in Temecula.

The equestrian sporting event hosted by CARMA ( California Retirement Management Account) as an awareness campaign to promote the adoption of off-track Thoroughbreds, drew 96 entries.

“We’ve been putting on these shows for seven years now, and we’re really starting to see resurgence of the breed in the show ring,” said Lucinda Mandella, executive director of CARMA. “Multiple exhibitors and spectators asked us how they can adopt very recently retired racehorses. The interest in the Thoroughbred as a sport horse and companion is growing.”

To showcase the versatility of the breed, the TCHS offers hunters, jumpers, cross country, dressage, barrel racing, pole bending, lead line and showmanship. The purpose of the TCHS has always been one of inclusiveness and variety, encouraging its exhibitors to bring their horse to an environment both welcoming and accommodating.

The connections to racing were strong at this show. For the third straight year, TCHS Youth Ambassador Amanda Gomez, 15-year-old daughter of Hall of Fame jockey Garrett Gomez, won the 1.00M $1,500 Jumper Stakes aboard her six-year-old gelding Amadeus (Jockey Club: Quick Louder) out of 10 riders.

The $1,500 Hunter Derby, sponsored by the Stronach Group, Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields, was captured by Madison Dunham, daughter of San Luis Rey Downs-based trainer Daniel Dunham, and her horse Cognoscente, an eight-year-old gelding previously trained by her father. Notably, Madison and Cognoscente also were second in the Jumper Stakes.

The winner of the $1,000 Dressage Challenge was Katherine Rich-Elzig and her mount, Count On Me. The $1,500 Eventing Challenge held exclusively at the March show which combines scores from stadium jumping, dressage and cross country, was won by Chavez Ravine and his rider Lisa Gonzalez.

The next TCHS event will be on Dec. 7-8, 2019 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank where year-end awards will be given to high point exhibitors who participated at the Galway Show and sponsored TCHS classes offered at the Camelot Show Series.

For more information about the TCHS and CARMA, go to ThoroughbredClassic.orgor CARMA4horses.org. Results for all the divisions and disciplines from the weekend’s Galway Show can be found at Horseshowtime.com.

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FINISH LINES: Ron Anderson, agent for Joel Rosario, reports his jockey returns from Dubai at 11:30 this Sunday morning, will ride at Santa Anita that day “and on April 6 and 7, and after that be riding in Kentucky and New York.” . . . Jockey Martin Garcia, recovered from a recent injury, resumes his career in Friday’s eighth race on Mr Classical. Garcia is represented by agent Tom Knust, who also will handle business for Bay Area mainstay Abel Cedillo at Del Mar this summer.