Perfect Drift Appears Eager to Race

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Photo: Benoit

Perfect Drift is in training with Richard Mandella in California.

Perfect Drift had his second three-furlong work at Santa Anita March 31 for trainer Richard Mandella. The 9-year-old earner of $4,680,691 clocked :37.00 on Santa Anita’s synthetic surface and appears eager to get back to the races.

“He’d like to do a lot more, but we’re just trying to get a bottom in him," said Mandella. "He looks great, and everything is going well so far.”

The gelded son of Dynaformer—Nice Gal, by Naskra, has been under Mandella’s care since last fall. Before Mandella took over, Perfect Drift underwent surgery to insert a screw to repair the beginning of a fracture in a leg.

Perfect Drift has won 11 of 46 starts, including eight stakes, over his seven-year racing career. Bred and owned by Dr. William Reed, he was formerly trained by Murray Johnson and campaigned primarily in the Midwest.

Perfect Drift won the 2003 Stephen Foster Handicap (gr. I) and has placed in the event on three other occasions. Third in the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I), Perfect Drift has competed in that event five times. He also twice finished second in the Pacific Classic (gr. I) and was third in the 2002 Kentucky Derby (gr. I).

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