Mandaloun earned the bulk of his 52 road to the Kentucky Derby points with his score in the Risen Star in February. Mandaloun, a son of Into Mischief trained by Brad Cox, who will also saddle Essential Quality in the Run for the Roses, was one of the more noteworthy favorites to come up short. He was a 6-5 choice in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2), but turned in a weak sixth-place effort under regular rider Florent Geroux which baffled his connections so much that they have written it off and are hoping for a bounce-back effort on the first Saturday in May.
Running Style: Front Runner Out of the Empire Maker mare Brooch, Mandaloun won his two starts at 2, taking an Oct. 24 maiden race at Keeneland, followed by an allowance optional claiming win at Churchill Downs. As a sign of how Mandaloun appears to be on an upswing after his debacle in the Louisiana Derby, he rebounded with a pair of bullet works at Churchill Downs, zipping six furlongs in 1:11.40 April 17 and five furlongs in :58.80 April 10.
