Horse racing
Trainer has Pleasantly Perfect day
An upset victory in the $4-million Classic completes a stunning string of wins for Richard Mandella.
By Wire services
Published October 26, 2003
ARCADIA, Calif. - A trainer who was known more for his Panama hat than winning races no longer has to work in the shadow of Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas.
Richard Mandella completed the greatest day in racing history when his Pleasantly Perfect swept past the leaders in the stretch and won the $4-million Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday.
Mandella, a quiet Californian and son of a blacksmith, also won the $1.5-million Juvenile with Action This Day, the $2-million Turf as his Johar dead-heated with High Chaparral, and the $1-million Juveniles with Halfbridled, ridden by Julie Krone.
Krone, 40, became the first female jockey to win a Breeders' Cup race.
But it was Pleasantly Perfect's stunning win in the Classic that had 51,648 roaring at Santa Anita.
With 3-1 favorite Medaglia d'Oro and Congaree in a stretch duel, Pleasantly Perfect charged past them on the outside and won by 11/2 lengths. Medaglia d'Oro was second for the second year in a row. Dynever was third.
Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide was never in contention and finished ninth in the 10-horse field. Defending champion Volponi, who ran the final race of his career, was last.
Pleasantly Perfect, a 5-year-old son of Pleasant Colony who was ridden by Alex Solis, came into the race off a victory in the Goodwood Handicap on this track three weeks ago.
Mandella, who turns 53 on Nov. 5, won two Breeders' Cup races the last time these championships visited Santa Anita, 10 years ago.
Of the seven horses he ran Saturday, four won and two others cashed, bringing the total earnings to $4,564,040. Trainers earn a standard 10 percent, but expect his owners to deliver some extra cash.
"I never thought lightning would strike twice, but it struck harder," Mandella said.
While Mandella celebrates, Bobby Frankel will have a hard time recovering from another dismal day at the Breeders' Cup.
He sent out eight horses, including favorites Medaglia d'Oro, Sightseek in the Distaff and Aldebaran in the Sprint - and did not win. He is 2-for-57 in the Breeders' Cup.
Pleasantly Perfect covered the 11/4 miles in 1:59.88 and returned $30.40, $9.60 and $6.60.
The upset virtually assures that the retired Mineshaft will end up as horse of the year. Medaglia d'Oro, Perfect Drift and even Funny Cide were ready to stake a claim to the title with a Classic victory.
Pleasantly Perfect earned $2.080-million for Gerald J. Ford, who owns Diamond A Racing Corp.
Leaving from the No. 2 post, Pleasantly Perfect was still seventh with a half-mile to go, and fifth with a quarter-mile left. But when Solis swung his horse outside, Pleasantly Perfect responded with a surge to blow past Medaglia d'Oro and trainer Bob Baffert's Congaree.
Funny Cide, running for the first time in nearly three months, never got going with Krone aboard for the first time. It wasn't the jockey, trainer Barclay Tagg said.
"This horse doesn't like hot weather, but we took our shot," Tagg said of temperatures that reached 99 degrees. "It was a lot to ask for him to face older horses in this spot after a long layoff."
There were three other huge upsets: Adoration returned $83.40 in winning the $2-million Distaff; Action This Day paid $55.60 in the Juvenile and Cajun Beat returned $47.60 in the $1-million Sprint.
High Chaparral successfully defended his title in the Filly & Mare Turf but had to share the winner's circle with Johar. But High Chaparral's win gave the Europeans a sweep of the turf races. Six Perfections led a 1-2 French sweep with a victory in the $1.5-million Mile, and Islington led a 1-2-3 Irish sweep by taking the $1-million Filly & Mare Turf.
Baseball
World Series: Series becomes coming-out party for Beckett
World Series: Win or lose, Miami is getting ready to party
World Series: Yanks may be facing overhaul after Series failure
BowlingPolk County duo teams at regional
College footballA man apart
Game, Set, Watch!
Stats do Bulls no good
Notebook: Pitt WR ties touchdown record
Long first-play TD sets tone for USM
Penalties hurt USF, frustrate players, coach
USF By the Numbers
FSU By the Numbers
Bulldogs avert upset
Confidence boost for Booker
FSU Gameballs
Returner gets back in groove
USF Gameballs
ConferencesBig Ten: Michigan knocks Purdue from top
Big XII: Sooners escape Buffs
Nation: Cinderella tale ends for N. Illinois
Pac-10: Leinart leads USC road rout
ACC: Wolfpack dodges Duke, adds to Blue Devils' skid
Big East: BC rally negates Irish's
C-USA: TCU scores enough to stay undefeated
SEC: Vols outlast Tide in five OTs
State: Schneider, Knights romp over Central Michigan
GolfLong-distance driver ... and flyer
Daly's agent, tour official dispute report of a mandatory rehab
Singh in position to pass Woods
Horse racingTrainer has Pleasantly Perfect day
In briefCohen takes third title
MotorsportsBiffle's win fuels ire about Cup car
Gordon leaves bad luck in dust
Harvick has Kenseth in his sights
Junqueira, Bourdais out front
NFLHolmes heart of Chiefs offense
NFL picks
Things that make you go Hmm
NHLPanthers stop the Thrashers
OpinionRant, Rave
OutdoorsDaily fishing report
Officials revamp plans for big reef
PrepsGulf girls take second at 2A-5 meet
Hernando boys reach goal
Jesuit up to challenge
SPC moves ahead comfortably
TriathlonSecond race charm for Naples Ironman
World SeriesPriceless
Letters: Your Turn: Offshore race coverage appreciated
Rays2 Joshes, 2 losses for Rays?
Lee, Lugo are free-agent dilemmas
BucsPlop-plop, fizz-fizz ... Bucs need hangover fix
Bucs in real danger of losing Key
Lacoochee coos for Hambrick
Kickin' back with Corey Ivy
Matchup ...
Sideline
Letters: The rough patch is only temporary
LightningThree straight goals, 6-0 mark
He's the hot start expert
