United Starts 2021 With a San Luis Rey Victory

Returning from a 4 1/2-month layoff in a 1 1/2-mile graded stakes isn't the easiest task, but it becomes considerably simpler when you mix the Hall of Fame skills of trainer Richard Mandella and the heart and talent of United.

In his first start since an unusually weak eighth-place finish in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T), the highly consistent United opened 2021 with a much more typical result as he posted a three-quarters-of-a-length victory for Mandella and owner LNJ Foxwoods in the $100,000 San Luis Rey Stakes (G3T) March 20 at Santa Anita Park.

The victory was the eighth in 18 starts for the 6-year-old Giant's Causeway gelding, who had finished no worse than third in his 10 starts before closing out 2020 in the Nov. 7 Breeder's Cup Turf.

It was also his initial score at 1 1/2 miles after two previous starts at the distance, both in the Breeders' Cup Turf, where the four-time grade 2 winner was second to Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar in the 2019 edition at Santa Anita.

Mandella had United sharp for his 2021 debut as the 4-5 favorite in a field of five broke well under jockey Flavien Prat and then stalked in second as the pace-setting Acclimate carved out fractions of :24.29, :47.18, and 1:11.36 over firm turf with United outside him, about a length away. 

Leaving the quarter pole and turning for home, Prat asked the half brother to grade 3 winner Harlan Punch for a burst of speed and the gelding quickly responded and drew clear in the stretch, extending to a length-and-half lead at the eighth pole.

While Acclimate dropped back to fourth, Say the Word and Masteroffoxhounds took up the chase in the final furlong. Say the Word, in fourth for much of the way, rallied widest and posed the biggest threat but was unable to put much of a dent in United's lead, falling a little less than a length short at the wire.

"Hat's off to Mr. Mandella, he had him ready to run a mile-and-one half today," Prat said. "He was traveling well the whole way and he responded well when I asked him to go. My horse likes to be in the race and he likes it when there is a good pace."

United, who paid $3.80 to win, was clocked in 2:25.51 on firm turf while increasing his earnings to $1,513,549.

He was bought for $300,000 by Solis/Litt from the Four Star Sales consignment in 2016 at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's New York Sale of Select Yearlings. He was originally bought for $240,000 by Glencrest Farm from the Trackside Farm consignment at the 2015 Keeneland November Bloodstock Sale.

Bred by Rosemont Farm, United is out of the successful Pulling Punches mare Indy Punches, who has produced five runners. Three of them are stakes winners and another is grade 3 placed.

Her two most recent foals are a 2-year-old filly by Uncle Mo  and a yearling War Front  colt.

Agave Racing Stable and Sam-Son Farm's Say the Word, an Ontario-bred More Than Ready  gelding trained by Phil D'Amato who was 11th in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) in his last start, was a second by a length over Rockingham Ranch's Masteroffoxhounds in third.

A son of War Front , Masteroffoxhounds exited a victory in the San Marcos Stakes (G2T) for trainer Richard Baltas and was the 2-1 second choice in the wagering.