Richard Mandella

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals. Resolved ADMC Violations Dates: 12/04/2025 Licensee: Michael Catalano, trainer Penalty: A fine of $500; imposition of 1.5 Penalty Points. Admission. Explainer: Vets' list medication violation for the presence of Phenylbutazone—a class C controlled substance—in a sample taken from Mr Sandman on 10/24/25. Pending ADMC Violations 12/10/2025, Carlos Martin, trainer: Pending...

It's no surprise that Italian-born jockeys are doing well at the current meet at Del Mar. They have been making their mark in Southern California for some time now. Antonio Fresu is second in the standings and Umberto Rispoli is third. But who is the leading rider? The answer might surprise you. The 46-year-old veteran Mirco Demuro, who left Japan earlier this year to try the Southern California circuit, went into the weekend at Del Mar on top of the jockey standings with 10 winners. He has had just 22...

Spendthrift Farm's Kopion (Omaha Beach--Galloping Ami, by Victory Gallop), who posted three Beyer Speed Figures in excess of 107 in a season which included a blowout victory in the GI Derby City Distaff Stakes, has been retired, according to a report from the Daily Racing Form. Bred by Ivan Dalos's Tall Oaks Farm, Kopion was a $270,000 Keeneland September yearling and won a pair of stakes over seven furlongs at three, a 5 3/4-length success in the GIII Santa Ynez Stakes and a 2 3/4-length score at odds of 37-1...

After being a scratch by track veterinarians from the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) is back at Santa Anita Park undergoing tests to determine a possible cause. Both Tamara and Sweet Azteca (Sharp Azteca) were scratched the morning of the Filly & Mare Sprint, later won by Splendora (Audible), and were figured to be two of the favorites in the race. At the time of the scratch, no reason had been provided for either horse. Now back in the...

Both Sweet Azteca (Sharp Azteca) and  'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) will scratch from the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Each filly looked to play a substantial role in the wagering with Sweet Azteca 2-1 on the morning line for Richard Baltas and Tamara listed at 7-2 for Richard Mandella. The news was reported on social media by DRF's David Grening. No reason was given for either scratch. Additionally, 20-1 shot Atsila (Ire) (Phoenix of Spain {Ire}) has been announced via the same source...

DEL MAR, Calif. - At the age of 56, the legendary Bill Shoemaker guided Ferdinand home by a nose over Alysheba as the two Derby winners famously hit the wire together in the 1987 GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Hollywood Park. The late Shoemaker has held the record as the oldest jockey to win a Breeders' Cup race since. Hall of Famer Mike Smith will have five chances to make history as the two-day Championships return to Del Mar for the fourth time Friday. The 59-year-old's Breeders' Cup mounts include:...

Breeders' Cup pre-entrants Explora (Blame), Kopion (Omaha Beach), Straight No Chaser (Speightster), Goal Oriented (Not This Time) and Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) all had their final works Sunday at Santa Anita. Kopion, trained by Richard Mandella, covered three furlongs in :33.20 with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith aboard. The 4-year-old was pre-entered in both the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint going seven furlongs and six-furlong GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, however, Mandella confirmed Kopion would be entered in the Sprint where she will be joined by Mandella-trained stablemate...

Most with a story to tell regale audience and bystander around the dinner table or the campfire or at the bar. More disciplined souls sit at the typewriter to memorialize it in print. But what possesses someone to then take that memoir and distill it into a screenplay, fundraise a small retirement account for a movie of that screenplay that you'll direct yourself before premiering the finished product in a packed Los Angeles movie theater for a collection of SoCal racing glitterati? "The summer of my first year in college...

Stablemates Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) and Kopion (Omaha Beach) were among several Breeders' Cup hopefuls to make an appearance Monday morning on the worktab at Santa Anita ahead of a multi-day rainstorm that's expected to arrive in the area later in the evening. Trained by Richard Mandella, Grade I winners Tamara and Kopion both worked three furlongs with the former being clocked in :37.40 (7/19) on the main track while the latter went to the synthetic training track and was timed in :39.80 (4/4). Kopion wears glue-on shoes, according to Mandella,...

Spendthrift Farm homebred Brave Deb (Authentic) completed a big weekend for the historic farm--while adding a second graded win in two days for her sire--with an authoritative victory in the GIII Surfer Girl Stakes at Santa Anita Sunday. Spendthrift's colors were carried to victory at Keeneland by Tommy Jo (Into Mischief) in the GI Darley Alicibiades Stakes Friday and by Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) in the GI Claiborne Futurity Saturday. The farm's homebred Tamara (Bolt d'Oro), a daughter of champion Beholder, returned with a victory of her own in the...

All five stakes winners on Saturday's card at Santa Anita--GI American Pharoah Stakes winner Intrepido (Maximus Mischief), GII Oak Leaf Stakes winner Explora (Blame), GII Rodeo Drive Stakes winner Mission of Joy (Kitten's Joy), GIII Chillingworth Stakes winner Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) and Speakeasy Stakes winner Later Than Planned (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB})--were reported to be doing well Sunday and will move on to the Breeders' Cup. "He's got a lot of class," trainer Jeff Mullins said of Intrepido, who earned an automatic berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile with...

1st-Niigata, ¥10,600,000 ($71,603), Maiden, 2yo, 1200m, 1:10.8, ft. SATONO VOYAGE (JPN) (c, 2, Into Mischief--Jolie Olimpica {Brz} {Horse of the Year, Ch. 2yo Filly & G1SW-Brz, Ch. Turf Female-Can, MGSW & GISP-US, GSW-Can, $460,507}, by Drosselmeyer) was beaten 1 1/2 lengths into second when trying 1200 meters on the turf at Hanshin June 14 and was the 9-10 chalk to go one better with a move to the dirt track at Niigata. Drawn gate one, Satono Voyage was driven along by Keita Tosaki and made the lead before the end...