Kanderel and Juan Hernandez win the Siren Lure Stakes at Santa Anita Park.
With a new lease on life at age four, the Richard Mandella-trained Kanderel rallied from last to take Saturday’s $75,000 Siren Lure Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif., his second win in a row over the course. Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Kanderel got 6½ furlongs on turf in 1:14.98.
Breaking from the rail, Kanderel was about six lengths off dueling leaders Texas Wedge and Tilted Towers heading to the far turn and had nearly five lengths to make up while wide-out with a furlong to run.
“I broke from the inside, number one post and Mr. Mandella told me to ride the horse like last time,” said Hernandez. “My horse, he loves to come from behind. I just broke, the horse was comfortable being last…I was saving ground and at the (top of) the stretch, I decided to go outside and make my run. My horse helped me a lot and he responded really well.
“I rode this horse (for the) first time at Golden Gate (winning a one-mile turf stakes on June 20, 2020) and he looked like he had a lot of talent…I think when they gelded him (Oct. 1, 2020), when he came back, he was a different horse. You could feel when you ask him, he responds a lot better than before.”
A three-quarter-length second condition allowance winner at 6½ furlongs on turf May 9, Kanderel was off at 4-1 in a field of seven 3-year-olds and up and paid $10.60, $5.20, and $3.20.
A 4-year-old gelding by Candy Ride, out of the Storm Cat mare Stormica, Kanderel is owned by his breeders, Wertheimer and Frere. With the Siren Lure being his second stakes victory, Kanderel is now 13-4-1-0 overall and with the winner’s share of $48,360, he increased his earnings to $195,982. His owner/breeder is Wertheimer & Frere.
“We gelded him and it took a little while for it to work,” said Mandella. “He has now settled in to being with a harder crowd. We also shortened him up and he’s doing better than he did running long…I was hoping he was good enough to catch these, and he did! He ran an even better race than he did the last time.”
Ridden by Joe Bravo, French-bred Commander was fourth turning for home and ran a game second, finishing a neck in front of favored Chasin Munny. Off at 5-1, Commander paid $5.60 and $3.40.
Off as the 6-5 favorite with Flavien Prat up, Chasin Munny was fifth at the top of the lane and paid $2.20 to show while finishing one length in front of Wound Tight. Fractions on the race were 22.21, 45.96, and 1:08.20.
Trainer Richard Mandella saw improvement in Kanderel. “We gelded him, and it took a little while for it to work. He has now settled in to being with a harder crowd. We also shortened him up and he’s doing better than he did running long.
“He was the better horse, and there were some pretty good horses. I was hoping he was good enough to catch these, and he did! He ran an even better race than he did the last time.”
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