Trainer Mike Mitchell eyes the Breeders’ Cup for the rejuvenated Tanda
The 4-year-old filly, Tanda, landed her first win after almost a year in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap at Del Mar on 21 August, 2011, over a distance of 6 ½ furlongs on synthetic surface, under jockey Joseph Talamo.
Trainer Mike Mitchell is all fired up after Tanda ended her winning drought at Del Mar and is now eyeing the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint which will be held at Churchill Downs on 4 November, 2011.
Trainer Mike Mitchell, who took over Tanda from Dan Hendricks, made the filly win her first race for him in emphatic style. She was also under a new jockey, Joseph Talamo.
The 4-year-old daughter of Sweetsouthernsaint out of Doc’s Stormy Girl by Dr. Caton, Tanda, was running on the Del Mar main track for the first time, and the trifecta helped the filly win a race after a 15 long months.
Tanda was finishing on the money in her last two starts, prior to the Rancho Bernardo Handicap win. It started at Hollywood Park where she was facing 3 year and older fillies.
Over a distance of a mile, Tanda took Hollywood Park turf and the likes of Wild Mia and Andina.
On 5 June, 2011, the filly wound up third in the Redondo Beach Stakes, finishing behind Wild Mia and Andia, who finished 1st and 2nd, respectively.
Her second third place finish was under touch circumstances, facing an extremely tough line up, especially in Tanda’s case, who hadn’t won a race in quite some time.
Irish Gypsy and the Southern Californian giant, Ultra Blend were expected to sweep the Grade 2 A Gleam Handicap at Hollywood Park on 16 July, 2011.
Contesting over a distance of 7 furlongs, the break for the dash under jockey V Espinoza was reasonably good and she was in contention straight away, lingering there and there about Ultra Blend.
Over on the synthetic surface, Irish Gypsy came back from behind and first past Tanda and then Ultra Blend to win the race. Ultra Blend settled in second and Tanda behind her in third.
Tags: