GOLDEN GLIMPSES #76

Richard Mandella, that Most Happy Fella, has accomplished some rare feats during a 20-year training career that is leading to the Hall of Fame.

In 1990, he became the only trainer in Southern California history to win a Grade I stakes with a pair of dead-heated stablemates, when Beautiful Melody and Reluctant Guest tied in the Beverly Hills Handicap.

He won an unprecedented four stakes race on 1993 Breeders' Cup Day -- the $2 million Turf with Horse of the Year Kotashaan; $1 million Juvenile Fillies with Phone Chatter; $150,000 Skywalker Handicap with Region; and the $100,000 Smile Handicap with Memo.

He ended Cigar's 16-game winning streak when Dare and Go scored a stunning upset in the 1996 Pacific Classic.

And he saddled the first three finishers in the Santa Anita Handicap last March -- Siphon, Sandpit and Gentlemen.

On Sunday, in the $1-million Hollywood Gold Cup, second leg of the $4.8 million MGM Grand Classic Crown, Mandella will go for a Grand Slam. The 47-year-old son of a blacksmith is expected to send out four horses in the Grade I Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles -- Siphon, Sandpit, Gentlemen and turf specialist Talloires. Siphon, who worked seven furlongs Sunday in a bullet 1:24, seeks to become the lone horse besides three-time winner Native Diver to win the Gold Cup back-to-back.

Agent Jim Pegram, who books mounts for Siphon's rider David Flores, says the committed front-runner is the horse to beat. And remember, it was Pegram who said he "wouldn't trade places" with anyone before Flores and Siphon won the Santa Anita Handicap.

Mandella knows there is safety in numbers, and, with all the speed in the Gold Cup, there is also safety in having a closer like the 7-year-old Talloires, even though he has never run on the dirt.

"Talloires is doing real good," Mandella said. "He's always worked good on the dirt and his style will fit what I'm looking for, which is some coverage in the back end, in case Siphon and Gentlemen get hooked up, or anybody goes with them. Siphon knows only one way to go, and that's on the lead. But Gentlemen is quick enough that if he was to leave there on the engine and get tough, he's gonna sacrifice both of them. If they both leave there, we're in trouble. That's why I plan to surround the opposition."

Talloires, who will be ridden for the first time by Alex Solis, would be the longest-priced of Mandella's quartet if he were running as a separate entry. But since he and Gentlemen are owned in part by Hollywood head honcho R.D. Hubbard, they'll be coupled in the wagering, and could be favored.

Said Solis of Talloires after a one-mile turf work in 1:36: "He's an awesome horse. It's like being on a Rolls-Royce. he did it so easy and worked so fast, it was very impressive. I can't wait for the race."

Me, I'll stick with Siphon.

BEAMING YEAR -- Ran too good to lose while dropping a nose decision against high-priced claimers going 5 1/2 on turf.

BUTTERFIELD EIGHT -- Filly ran gangbusters at 14-1 in turf allowance route, coming again to win, only to be DQd on marginal call.

GENEVE -- Won with much in reserve in first start in five months. Leading trainer Jenine Sahadi has $40,000 claim ready for tougher.

K.O. PUNCH -- No value at windows, but unbeaten Lukas 2-year-old should be Breeders' Cup Juvenile choice and future book Derby favorite.

THE HOMESTRETCH: Mandella had hoped to start Region in the Gold Cup, but will wait for a softer spot. "He'd make five, if we ran him," Mandella cracked. "But I'll give him more time. I haven't won a race with him in a while, and I'd like to win one." . . . As reported first in last week's Gaming Today, Silver Charm will not run in the July 13 Swaps Stakes, despite a bonus of $800,000 to the winner if Silver Charm, Touch Gold and Free House all run . . . Paco Gonzalez was still undecided on Free House. "He's in light training and I won't breeze him till this week. He'll be ready for either the Swaps or the Haskell, but whichever race, it will be because it's right for him, not for the money." Bet on the Haskell . . . It's public knowledge that Bob Baffert eased off on Silver Charm after winning the Derby, but he said had the colt lost the Preakness, he would not have run in the Belmont. "I said he might bounce in the Preakness and I expected him to take a step back, but I hoped he was good enough, because he's going to have to win this on guts. If he won it, fine, if he didn't, he was gonna go home. I didn't want to run a mile-and-a-half for the hell of it. But once you win the Derby, it's all down hill from there." . . . Chris McCarron on his Belmont victory on Touch Gold: "I don't know where I would put it on my list of personal accomplishments, but it's way up on the totem pole.". . . Craig Lewis, owner/trainer of Larry The Legend, says his horse could make yet another comeback after a series of setbacks. "I think he'll make it," Lewis said of the $2,500 bankruptcy bargain who won the 1995 Santa Anita Derby. "Right now, he's just enjoying himself at Santa Anita. We'll probably start him back soon and try and make the Oak Tree meet. He had throat surgery, and that seemed to go pretty well. Then he had a couple of little nagging things and I just decided to have everything perfect with a horse like this before I went on, or at least be satisfied that I wasn't risking any serious injury. Of course, you can never be 100 percent sure, and I just wanted to give him a little time to recover." So why didn't he turn the horse out, send him to a farm, instead of keeping him at Santa Anita? "Because I don't like to let him out of my sight. It's just like having a gold mine, but right now, we can't get to the gold." . . . Add Golden winners: Miss Falstaff, $13.20, Some Saint, $5.20 and Christmas Boy, $4.60 . . . Best thing about the NBA playoff telecasts: no Dick Vitale.

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