Thanks.
Shirreffs is such a unique trainer because he blends a style of extreme patience and conservative horsemanship --- with like a desperate Bob Baffert on steroids style of training aggression whenever he needs it.
Here's an interesting stat:
Richard Mandella has won all of the last 5 Breeders Cup races on dirt that he's started in at Santa Anita.
2012 BC was at Santa Anita: He's 1-for-1 so far. Beholder won and paid $9.80
2009 BC was at Santa Anita: No dirt surface. Crown of Thorns was 2nd by a nose at 15/1 odds in the Breeders Cup sprint for Mandella. It was his only synthetic starter.
2008 BC was at Santa Anita: Mandella went 0-for-1 on synthetic.
2003 BC was at Santa Anita: Pleasantly Perfect won the BC Classic at 14/1 odds.
Mandella's Action This Day won the Breeders Cup Juvenile at 26-to-1 odds. Mandella's Minister Eric was 2nd in the race. The all Mandella exacta paid $367.
Mandella's Halfbridled won the Juvenile Fillies over Ashado despite breaking from post #14.
1993 BC was at Santa Anita. Mandella was 2-for-2 on this day. Phone Chatter won the Juvenile fillies for him over Sardula and Heavenly Prize. Kotashaan won the BC Turf for him.
Mandella's lifetime record in the BC at Santa Anita:
Dirt: 8 starts, 5 wins, 1 second. (the two who missed the board were Hopeful World - 8th in the 1986 Classic at 22/1 odds and Siphonizer was off the board at 22/1 odds in the race where Mandella finished 1-2 with Action This Day and Minister Eric)
Turf: 6 starts, 2 wins
Synthetic: 2 starts, no wins, one second.
Overall: 16 starts, 7 wins, 2 seconds
Mandella has two starters today. Rumor in the filly and mare sprint and Jimmy Creed in the Sprint. Somehow I don't think he's going to end the day having won 7 straight BC races on dirt at Santa Anita.
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