Mandella Family Has a Chance for Big Day

Richard Mandella and his son Gary have promising horses on today’s card at Santa Anita.

The elder Mandella will send out a pair of favorites -- In The Clutch in the first and Panama Lane in the sixth -- and Gary Mandella will saddle 9-2 contender Double Option in the third.

Owned by Burt Bacharach, In The Clutch, a 5-year-old gelded son of Afternoon Deelites, will be making his first start since Feb. 29 and first in a claimer in the opener, a six-furlong race for maidens eligible for claiming at $40,000.

The Maryland-bred was second and third in his last two races at Santa Anita. Victor Espinoza will ride.

Panama Lane is the 2-1 morning line in a $46,000 maiden race for Cal-breds at a mile. Third in his last two outings, the son of Event Of The Year will be ridden by Tyler Baze.

Double Option has a victory, a second and a third in his last three starts for the younger Mandella.

Race of the day: Chinkapin, who won his last two starts in California for trainer Mike Mitchell, will make his New Orleans Fair Grounds debut in today’s eighth after being claimed for $25,000 Dec. 15. Eddie Martin Jr. will ride the 9-year-old gelded son of Personal Flag for trainer William Bret Calhoun in the $32,000 optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles.

One for the road: Nicky Santoro will stretch out to a mile and try the grass for the first time in her second start for trainer Wesley Ward in today’s sixth at Gulfstream Park. Kieren Fallon will ride the 3-year-old Running Stag filly for co-owners Ward and Joe Pesci.

Exotically speaking: A place pick all using In The Clutch in the first, Run Rebecca Run and Dee Dee’s Diner in the second, Ghost Memo and Waki American in the third, Double Option in the fourth, Coax Kid and Political Rhetoric in the fifth, Panama Lane in the sixth, Frankelstein and Black Horse Money in the seventh, and Mr Splash and Thirtiethstreet in the eighth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 1/25. Money: Previous day/meet total: $3.80/$137.60. Total money bet: $154.