Mandella senses he will have a perfect day

"Because he hasn't raced in a while I had to give him something like a race at home last week.

"He went terrific and, from what he's been showing us in the last month, I would have to say that he has never been better."

Pleasantly Perfect is a classic example of how Mandella differs from some of the other big names on the American training scene.

The instant gratification ethos which pervades so much of American life also extends to racing, with the result that top trainers, such as Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas, have gained a reputation for getting to the bottom of their star horses from a very early point in the season.

By contrast, Mandella is regarded as a 'target trainer' by the more knowledgeable American horseplayers.

A measured, European- style approach based on ensuring his stars build to a peak gradually has led him to more than 300 big race wins. A mind-boggling career total of more than $100m in prize money has been achieved by trusting his own instincts, and Mandella has little time for the statisticians who are looking to oppose Pleasantly Perfect purely because no horse has ever won the Classic after a lay-off of more than 49 days.

Pleasantly Perfect has been off the course for almost 10 weeks since his last start, but that was always part of the Mandella gameplan for this year.

"Last year he didn't run all summer, so he needed a prep coming into the Classic," he said.

"This year we went for the Dubai World Cup and were fortunate enough to win it.

"Dubai is a hard trip and taxing on horses, but I don't agree that you can't come back and be as good as you were.

"You just have to be sure that you don't over-race your horse."

Pleasantly Perfect has raced twice at Del Mar since his trip to Dubai, finishing second in the San Diego Handicap before getting back on the winning trail in the Pacific Classic. "We worked on his speed a couple of times before the San Diego and he took us a little too seriously," said Mandella.

"The Pacific Classic set him up perfectly for Saturday's race and, although I don't have much experience of Lone Star Park, so far I haven't found a track that my horse doesn't like."

Mandella was so shocked by his first Breeders' Cup wins with Phone Chatter and Kotashaan on his home track at Santa Anita in 1993 that everyone had gone home by the time he was ready to party.

A similar smile of disbelief played across his face in the aftermath of his four-timer 12 months ago, while even now he concedes "it's not going to get any better than last year".

Perhaps it won't. Saturday's race contains some highly dangerous rivals.

Ghostzapper lines up from the powerful Bobby Frankel yard on a winning roll and has sent the clockwatchers into raptures by recording a series of phenomenal speed figures this summer.

Roses In May brings to the table a perfect five from five record in 2004, while Birdstone and last year's Kentucky Derby hero Funny Cide are both in peak condition according to their connections.

But Mandella hasn't become known as the ultimate target trainer for nothing.

And in Pleasantly Perfect he has the horse who every other trainer will be aiming to beat in Texas on Saturday night.