She was the speak of Del Mar in the summertime of 2023. The modern, bay filly named Tamara stole the hearts of race followers, particularly those that are nostalgic concerning the offspring of previous champions.
However she was injured within the Breeders’ Cup later in that 12 months and has not raced in 2024. Her coach, Richard Mandella, has introduced her again slowly, and now she returns in a six-furlong allowance non-obligatory claiming race Nov. 15. She breaks from put up 1 in a brief area beneath Corridor of Famer Mike Smith.
“She’s doing good,” Mandella says. “She’s able to race.”
Tamara is out of Beholder , a 2022 Racing Corridor of Fame inductee and champion at ages 2, 3, 5, and 6. Raced by Spendthrift Farm, she was the favored winner of the Pacific Basic Stakes (G1) over the boys in 2015 and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) in each 2013 and 2016, the latter one being among the many most fun Breeders’ Cup races ever.
So when Tamara debuted with a stable maiden win in August 2023, adopted by an equally spectacular 6 3/4-length victory within the Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1), visions of the second coming of her mom have been being shared by race followers and pundits alike.
Even Mandella, who additionally educated Beholder, noticed one thing particular within the filly. A lot in order that he entered her within the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita Park. She set the tempo within the race earlier than inexplicably fading to seventh place. A verify on her afterward revealed a fractured splint bone in her left leg.
Tamara was given time without work to heal, and in April, Mandella examined her with a few two-furlong drills. All the pieces was pointing in the best course for a return to the races, however Mandella, fearing he was shifting too quick along with her, backed off, holding her in mild coaching however skipping the Del Mar summer time meet and the Santa Anita Park autumn meet. A spiked fever additionally contributed to her delayed return.
In current weeks Mandella has begun to see what he is on the lookout for in his Bolt d’Oro filly.
“Simply see that they’ve their previous fashion again,” Mandella stated. “The identical capacity. She appears to have that. Lots of good works so I feel we’re able to go.”
Mandella had hoped to run Tamara in an allowance race Nov. 10 at Del Mar, however it did not fill. As an alternative, he put one other work into her final week, and he or she rang up a bullet 5 furlongs in 1:01 1/5.
This press launch has been edited for content material and magnificence by BloodHorse Employees.
