Mandella Looks for a Big Finish

Richard Mandella, who had the best day of any trainer in history 15 days ago, will try to end the Oak Tree meet in style with another stakes victory in the $70,000 Avigaition.

A replacement for the $200,000 Las Palmas Handicap, a Grade II that was canceled because of a decline in business at Oak Tree, the Avigaition attracted Crazy Ensign and Dessert from Mandella’s barn. On Breeders’ Cup day, all Hall of Famer Mandella did was win four races with Johar, Action This Day, Pleasantly Perfect and Halfbridled.

Owned by El Faruk Stable, Crazy Ensign, a 7-year-old gray mare, is the 9-5 favorite on the morning line in the Avigaition, which is 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

Race of the day: Ema Bovary, a winner of six of 11, will try for her fourth consecutive victory for trainer Larry Ross in today’s $60,000 Camilla Urso Handicap at Golden Gate Fields. Roberto Gonzalez will ride the 4-year-old, Chilean-bred filly in the six-furlong race, which goes as the eighth on the card.

One for the road: Shaniko adds Lasix as he makes his debut for trainer Todd Pletcher in today’s fourth at Aqueduct. The A.P. Indy colt was fourth after breaking slowly from the rail in his debut at Del Mar on Aug. 24. He finished behind Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Minister Eric and Odds On that day.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Western View and Satan’s Song in the fourth, Islander in the fifth and St Averil, Weeping Willow, Il Capriccio, Traffic Update and Exclamation in the sixth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 2/80. Money: Previous day/meet total: $18.60/$441.40. Total money bet: $538.