Salesman Shopping for Another Graded Win in Cougar II

Irish-bred Salesman , a sparkling winner of the 1 5/8-mile Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (G2) when marathoning on dirt in November, will look to repeat that performance in another stamina test in the $100,000 Cougar II Stakes (G3) July 25 at Del Mar.

The Cougar II, a 1 1/2-mile affair for 3-year-olds and up on the main track, drew a compact field of six for its 47th rendition. Salesman's trainer, Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, has won the Cougar II four times, most recently in 2021 with Tizamagician  .

A homebred for Wertheimer and Frere, Salesman was second in stakes company on grass in France before joining Mandella's stable for his 2023 campaign. Following two off-the-board efforts on the turf, Mandella switched the son of Dubawi  to the main track, where he was third in the Los Alamitos Special Handicap ahead of his victory in the TAA Stakes. Given a freshening for the winter, he returned to finish a disappointing seventh in the March 3 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) at 1 1/4 miles.

#5 SALESMAN (IRE) ($8.60) looked a winner every step of the $250,000 G2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes at Santa Anita.

The is the first graded victory for the Wertheimer et Free homebred, who was ridden by Flavien Prat for trainer Richard Mandella. pic.twitter.com/zpFspb5JCC

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) November 4, 2023

Salesman makes his first outing since the Big 'Cap. With Kazushi Kimura aboard Saturday, the gelding will carry the co-high weight of 123 pounds, along with the Bob Baffert-trained Reincarnate , who races 1 1/2 miles for the first time.

The latter, third in the Big 'Cap behind stablemate Newgate , has subsequently run fourth in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) and second in his latest in the May 27 Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G2) after leading until midstretch of the 1 1/4-mile journey.