When Kenwood Racing claimed Mandel back on June 24th at Monmouth Park, some people might have thought we paid a premium price for a horse with a limited record who had yet to win his 2nd career race. He went off at 12 to 1 odds that day and finished a good third despite losing all chace at the break, and we felt confident we had a good new addition to our barn. When he won his first start for us by 14 lengths on July 15th, we knew we had made another good claim. Mandel went on post an overall record of 2 wins, 2 seconds and 1 third in six starts for us, giving Kenwood and group #44 a lot of fun and a very nice profit in four months of racing when he was finally claimed from us on October 21st at Laurel. In his final start for us he finished a good second after he opened a huge early lead, wouldn’t rate and tired from the fast early pace he set, but held tough to just hold off the third horse. It was a great run under Kenwood silks and we wish Mandel continued good racing luck.

This is just one of several excellent claims for Kenwood this year; Diamond Play won a $50,000 purse for the same ownership group in her first start after we claimed her for $12,500 while Nonsuch won an allowance optional claiming race in his first start for Kenwood at Gulfstream Park in March among others. While a majority of our horses are pruchased privately or at public auction, we have an excellent long term record with our claims and Mandel has added to it!

Mandel, with Jose Ferrer in the irons, romps in race 8 at Monmouth Park, winning by 14 lengths on July 15, 2018