Rumor, fresh off a rousing win in the Jan. 1 Kalookan
Queen Handicap at 6 ½ furlongs, finished a non-threatening sixth with Mike
Smith as the 2-1 favorite in Saturday’s Grade I Santa Monica Stakes and
may well have had a tangible excuse for the poor showing, as she bled in the
race according to Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.
Daily
Racing Form’s chart comments read: “Rumor dueled between horses outside
the winner (Home Sweet Aspen), dropped back between foes into the stretch and
weakened.” Rumor, who was in search of her third consecutive win,
finished some eight lengths behind the winner.
“She bled a little bit on me and that’s
the first time she’s done that,” Mandella said Sunday morning of
Rumor, a 4-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie. “We’ll give her
some time.”