Beholder faces strong competition in Grade I Vanity Mile at Santa Anita
Beholder races to a win in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar in 2015.
The ladies will be in the spotlight on Saturday at Santa Anita, with three-time Eclipse Award winner Beholder heading a small but talented field for the $400,000 Grade I Vanity Mile.
Beholder, a 6-year-old daughter of Henry Hughes, has been close to unbeatable when racing at Santa Anita. She has 12 wins in 13 starts at the Arcadia track. She has earnings of $4,496,000 and Eclipse Awards as champion 2-year-old filly of 2012, champion 3-year-old filly of 2013 and champion older filly or mare of 2015.
Among those set to challenge her in the field of seven are Stellar Wind, last year’s Eclipse winner as a 3-year-old filly, and Taris, a 5-year-old mare who won the Grade I Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 7.
Beholder will have jockey Gary Stevens aboard in only her second race of 2016. Owner Wayne Hughes said the hope is to keep running Beholder through next year as a 7-year-old.
“If she has a good year this year, I’ll do it again at age 7,” he said. “Why not? She’s having a good time. She’s really happy.”
The main goal for trainer Richard Mandella is to have Beholder ready to compete in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Santa Anita.
Also on the 11-race card Saturday is the $400,000 Grade I Shoemaker Mile on the turf.
Twitter: @LATSondheimer
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