Mandella Reveals Possible Targets For Spendthrift's Filly Trio

Trainer Richard Mandella this week shared potential upcoming graded stakes assignments for three of his top fillies, Coffee in Bed, Ruby Nell, and Tamara. All three are owned by Spendthrift Farm.

Coffee in Bed last Saturday became the newest graded-stakes winner on Mandella’s shedrow when prevailing by a neck in the Santa Maria (G2) for older fillies and mares. It was Coffee in Bed’s fifth attempt at a stakes victory.

“That was very gratifying,” Mandella said. “She’s always made us think she’s a pretty good filly.”

Mandella added it hadn’t been the smoothest of winters for Coffee in Bed. Weather-related interruptions to training had an effect on the 4-year-old Curlin filly.

“She’s very delicate in her mind,” Mandella said. “With fillies like that, when their training gets interrupted, they tend to tie up. It interfered with her making any real progress this winter.”

Prior to her breakout win in the Santa Maria, Coffee in Bed was second in the La Canada (G3) Jan. 20 and sixth in the Beholder Mile (G1) March 9.

“In the last month, we haven’t had those interruptions, and I was able to give her a nice, steady training regimen,” Mandella said. “She ran the way she should the other day. It was a good feeling.”

Coffee in Bed is now 9: 3-2-1 with $253,860 in earnings. Next up will likely be the Santa Margarita (G2) at 1 1/8 miles May 26, Mandella said.

Multiple graded stakes winner Ruby Nell is likely to make her next start at Santa Anita in the $300,000 Gamely (G1)  at 1 1/8 miles on turf May 27, Mandella said. In two previous Grade 1 attempts, both last year, she was fourth in the Del Mar Oaks in August and fifth in the Matriarch Dec. 3, both at Del Mar.

Most recently, Ruby Nell collected her fourth stakes win in the Buena Vista (G2) at a mile on turf here March 3. The 4-year-old Bolt d’Oro filly is 12: 6-2-2 with $491,520 in earnings.

Regally bred Tamara is on the comeback trail after emerging from last November’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) with a hind leg injury. By Bolt d’Oro out of Hall of Fame mare Beholder, Tamara finished seventh as the 4-5 favorite in the Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita. It was later discovered she had a small fracture in her splint bone in her left hind. The injury did not require surgery.

Tamara returned to the work tab April 4. She has drilled four times for her comeback, including a three furlong move in :37.0 on Monday.

“She’s doing very well,” Mandella said. “She was pretty good when she left. We’re hoping she come back bigger and better.”

Mandella added it would likely be “six weeks or so” before she returns to the races. While the Summertime Oaks (G1) on June 8 at Santa Anita would fit in that timeline, Mandella ruled the race out.

“It will be something just to get her back started,” he said.

Prior to the Breeders’ Cup, Tamara won her debut at Del Mar Aug. 19 and came right back to score in the Del Mar Debutante (G1) on Sept. 9.