Turf Standout Johar Nears Training Return

The Thoroughbred Corp.'s grade I winner Johar, sidelined since suffering a hairline fracture to a shoulder in late January, is doing well at his owners' Bradbury, Calif., farm, trainer Richard Mandella reported, and isn't too far from a return to training.

"He's good," Mandella said. "He's been on the water treadmill at the farm for about a week now and, if all goes well, will be back (at Santa Anita) in about three weeks."

Johar, a son of Gone West and the outstanding race mare Windsharp, was last seen winning the Jan. 20 San Marcos Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita. Before that, the 4-year-old colt took home top honors in the Hollywood Derby (gr. I) and Oak Tree Derby (gr. II) and also placed in the Del Mar Derby (gr. II) Cinema Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. III), Will Rogers Handicap (gr. III) and Oceanside Stakes. Overall, Johar has earned $672,215 from a career line of 12-5-3-1.

Mandella also said that Wertheimer Farms' promising sophomore Listen Indy, sidelined with a minor shin injury since finishing fourth in an allowance race on Jan. 24, will begin his turn on the water treadmill in the next couple of days. After four weeks doing that, Mandella said the son of A.P. Indy will be fit enough to be put back into light training.

Listen Indy, who finished third in last year's Norfolk Stakes (gr. II) and seventh in the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. II) owns a career line of 6-1-1-2 for earnings of $73,960.