STABLE NOTES BY ED GOLDEN SUNDAY, OCT. 23, 2022

• ENGLAND’S ROSE COMES BACK IN THE GOLDIKOVA • TWILIGHT DERBY GRASS GREENER FOR WAR AT SEA • MANDELLA GROOM MENDOZA EARNS NTRA AWARD • HOT ROD CHARLIE IN CLASSIC WORK AT KEENELAND • LONGTIME BLOODSTOCK AGENT FRIEDLANDER PASSES

GOLDIKOVA SUITS RETURNING ENGLAND’S ROSE

John Shirreffs’ England’s Rose is scheduled to make her first start in almost six months this Saturday in the Grade II Goldikova Stakes for fillies and mares three and up at a mile on turf.

The six-year-old English Channel mare last raced May 1, rallying for third in the Grade III Wilshire Stakes after a slow start.

“She’ll work this week and if all’s well, we’ll enter,” said Shirreffs. “The mile and the grass here suits her and she seems to bounce back really well.” England’s Rose has been ridden in nine of her 10 races by Victor Espinoza, who has the Goldikova call.

The $200,000 Goldikova is one seven stakes races Saturday offering more than $1 million in purses, $1,030,000 to be exact.

The others are the Grade II, $200,000 Twilight Derby for three-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf; the $100,000, Grade III Autumn Miss Stakes for three-year-old fillies at a mile on turf; and the $100,000 Senator Ken Maddy Stakes for fillies and mares three and up at about 6 ½ furlongs on the hillside turf course.

Also, the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile for two-year-old California-breds at seven furlongs; the $175,000 Golden State Juvenile Fillies for Cal-breds at seven furlongs; and the $80,000 Lure Stakes for three-year-olds and up at a mile on turf.

The Goldikova is named for the 2010 European Horse of the Year that won the Breeders’ Cup Mile three straight years, 2008 through 2010, was Eclipse Award winner as female turf champion in 2009 and 2010 and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.

She won 17 of 27 races earning $7,176,551 and died at the age of 15 on Jan. 5, 2021.

TURF SPECIALIST WAR AT SEA IN TWILIGHT DERBY

War At Sea, winner of three straight grass races before finishing a solid third on Sept. 3 in the Grade II Del Mar Derby despite stumbling, returns to action Saturday in the Grade II Twilight Derby for three-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Bred for the green, the son of the Danzig stallion War Front out of the Street Cry dam Serene Melody has run on turf in his last six starts, winning three including the restricted Cinema Stakes at Santa Anita June 4.

“There were no races for him since his last race and the Twilight Derby,” trainer Ron Ellis said in explaining the two-month hiatus. “Since we’ve put him on the grass, he’s become a different horse. We bought him knowing he was mostly a grass horse.”

MANDELLA EMPLOYEE WINS DEDICATION AWARD

It’s often said that racing’s grooms, hotwalkers and exercise riders are the unsung heroes of a game that requires its equine athletes be cared for on a 24-7 basis. No one better exemplifies the dedication, work ethic and love of the horse that’s fully required than Felipe Mendoza, who has worked some 48 years as a groom for Hall of Fame conditioner Richard Mandella.

So recognized Oct. 13 at Keeneland Racecourse, Mendoza, 70, was presented with the NTRA-sponsored “Dedication to Racing” Award in a ceremony attended by both Mandella and Mendoza and emceed by Santa Anita’s Frank Mirahmadi.

“It was one of the best days of my life,” said Mandella. “The excitement and the satisfaction for both Felipe and I, it was one of the best days I’ve had in a long time.

“Felipe’s worked for me for 48 years and he’s part of the family. When I was just starting out, he was a hotwalker at that time for a barn I took over, Braugh Ranches.

“He’s just been a great person, a great employee all these years. He’s there every day, on time and horses love him. He takes good care of them, he just couldn’t be better. I tried to move him up into an assistant’s job years ago and he gave it try but he asked me to put him back with his horses.

“That’s where he wanted to be.”

Asked about some of the “big horses” Mendoza has been entrusted with, Mandella said, “He had my first stakes winner, Bad ’n Big and later Phone Trick, Rock Hard Ten, Dare and Go, Soul of the Matter and others.”

A native of Jalisco, Mexico, Mendoza came to the United States at 21 and currently resides in nearby Eagle Rock with his wife Irene. They have two grown children and six grandchildren.

“Yes, I’m very proud to win this award,” Mendoza said. “Working for Mr. Mandella all these years has been a great pleasure. He’s a good man and been a great boss. I love working with the horses and as long as I’m feeling healthy, I want to keep working. I love what I do.”

BLOODSTOCK AGENT MURRAY FRIEDLANDER PASSES

Murray Friedlander, a former trainer and bloodstock agent, died October 22. He was 98.

He trained for such owners as Nelson Bunker Hunt, William Haggin Perry, and the Cohen family, owners of Pimlico. He won the 1974 Golden Gate Handicap with Acclimatization for Hunt.

Because of his familiarity with bloodstock in France, England, and elsewhere in Europe, Friedlander facilitated the purchase of many horses who found success in the U. S., including Amen II, winner of the Hollywood Derby, and the Del Mar Derby victor Daros.

Since the 1970s he scouted prospects for trainer Ron McAnally. The notable resulting purchases included Northern Spur, the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner, and Dr Devious, bought as a birthday present for Sidney Craig to run in the 1992 Kentucky Derby. Although a disappointment in the Derby, he was sent back to his English trainer and won the Epsom Derby.

Friedlander was born and raised in Baltimore within sight of Pimlico, where he was introduced to the sport.

He interrupted studies at the University of North Carolina during World War II to enlist in the U. S. Army. He served in Intelligence in China. Returning to U.N.C., he earned a B.A. degree and then decided to go to Paris to study at the Sorbonne.

In France, the lure of racing had Friedlander working with horses in the mornings, including with renowned trainer Francois Mathet, and attending classes in the afternoons. He returned to the United States where he trained on his own, as well as spending several years as assistant trainer to James Maloney in the era of Gamely, Princessnesian, Desert Law, Boldnesian, Jacinto, and Dewan in the late 1960s

He is survived by his daughter, Dr. Susanna Friedlander. --Jane Goldstein

FINISH LINES: World traveler Hot Rod Charlie, prepping for the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic and a meeting with unbeaten Flightline on Nov. 5, worked five furlongs at Keeneland Saturday for Doug O’Neill in 1:00.80. Winner of five of 18 races and earner of $5,556,720, the hard-hitting son of Oxbow defeated Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike by a head last out in the Grade II Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs on Oct. 1 . . . Going Global, seeking her second consecutive win in Saturday’s Goldikova Stakes before she will be retired and put up for sale, worked five furlongs on the training track this morning in 59.60 for Phil D’Amato. Cave Rock, undefeated son of Arrogate in three starts including the Grade I American Pharoah by 5 ¼ lengths Oct. 8 for Bob Baffert, worked six furlongs Sunday in a bullet 1:11.20, fastest of five drills at the distance. In all there were 231 recorded workouts, 70 on the training track . . . There have been 40 claims so far this meet, Rip City bringing the top price of $80,000 when taken by Doug O’Neill from Mike Puype . . . Peter Miller, winning at a 27 percent clip, leads O’Neill in the trainers’ race, 11-8, while Ramon Vazquez has a 17-13 lead over Juan Hernandez among jockeys . . . Santa Anita will be dark for live racing Monday through Thursday. Live action resumes on the meet’s penultimate weekend, Friday, Oct. 28, at 1 p.m.