by Michael Burns

Racing Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, who conditioned successful Chilean imports Memo (Chi), Puerto Madero (Chi), and Malek (Chi) in the United States, has added Chilean standout Matto Mondo (Chi) to his Southern California stable, where he will resume racing for Las Vegas resident Alejandro Estay Wollester`s Stud Yatse.

Out of the Sadler’s Congress (Ire) mare Muy Euforica, Matto Mondo was exported to the United States on December 5 and is currently stabled at Mandella's Hollywood Park barn.

The Sir Cat colt, whose impressive exploits in Chile led to comparisons to 1990-'91 Chilean national Triple Crown winner Wolf (Chi), captured four of six starts in his native country, including a 16-length front-running victory in the Clasico Alberto Vial Infante (Chi-G1) to rank as Chile's top-rated juvenile colt on turf last season.

Matto Mondo also annexed the Clasico Polla de Potrillos (Chi-G1) at age three in August before finishing seventh in the Nacional Ricardo Lyon (Chi-G1) at Club Hipico de Santiago on October 5, his most recent start. He was trained in Chile by Jose Tomas Allende.

Michael Burns is a South America-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent