Turf Does the Trick for Daughter of Beholder

This column highlights the performances of maidens who have made no more than five starts and who either sold for more than $500,000 at public auction, have siblings that are grade/group winners, or have dams that are grade/group winners. BloodHorse research shows maiden winners, in particular, who meet these criteria are more likely to go on to be graded stakes winners. 

Santa Anita Park 

When your mother is one of the greatest race mares of the last decade, the expectations can be unspeakably high. And thus, when Spendthrift Farm’s homebred Teena Ella , daughter of the exceptional Beholder , stepped up to the gate for her first start in a Nov.12 maiden special weight at Del Mar, the world was watching. After leading the field through a quarter mile the filly quickly retreated and those hopes fell flat. However, Richard Mandella, who also trained her Hall of Fame dam, admitted Teena Ella was “fat” on debut, and following a third-place finish second time out Jan. 6, the conditioner decided to take a different approach with his prized pupil.

Mandella then entered Teena Ella on the turf, a surface never touched by her dam, but a course that has been consistently favored by the progeny of the 3-year-old's sire, War Front  . The gamblers approved of the move, and bet down as the 2-1 favorite, Teena Ella powered clear late to a 1 1/4-length victory Feb. 12 at Santa Anita Park.

Displaying rankness early on when jockey Juan Hernandez refused to allow the speedy filly the opportunity to grab the lead, she closely stalked a pace of :22.76 and :45.71 between rivals. Tipped to the outside of her rivals turning for home, Teena Ella accelerated willingly down the lane and surged to the wire in a final time of 1:09.42 for the six furlongs on a firm turf course.

Teena Ella became the first winner produced by Beholder, whose first two foals failed to reach the winner’s circle on the track. Although Teena Ella has never been beyond six furlongs, her pedigree would suggest two turns could be in her future. Beholder, an earner of over $6.1 million on the track, was a champion at the ages of 2, 3, 5, and 6 and captured two editions of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1).  

In the paddock before Teena Ella’s November debut, Mandella offered the ultimate praise to the filly’s dam: “chances are me and a lot of trainers will never see another one like Beholder, so it’s a big expectation to see another one like that come along. But we still hope.”

Tampa Bay Downs 

Two exciting Maiden Watch winners emerged on a stakes-happy card Feb. 11 at Tampa Bay Downs in Tita Mimosa   and Juniper's Moon .

Tita Mimosa was foaled in Ireland after Spanish breeder Leopoldo Fernández Pujals of Yeguada Centurion acquired his dam, the multiple stakes-winning Flatter mare Needmore Flattery , while she was in utero with the colt at the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $195,000. Two years later, Needmore Flattery's son Taiba  celebrated a stellar 2022 campaign that saw the Gun Runner   colt win three grade 1 races and $1.9 million in earnings. Taiba is currently readying for a start in the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) Feb. 25.

Like her renowned half sibling, Tita Mimosa also graduated first time out. Trained by Darien Rodriguez, the Uncle Mo   filly battled on the front end throughout, narrowly besting Rosario's Prayer  by a head at the line. Campaigned by Yeguada Centurion, Tita Miamosa clocked the six furlongs in 1.10.99 over a fast Tampa strip. The win was the first for Pujals' operation in the United States.

Third time was the charm for the blueblooded Juniper's Moon, who dictated the pace from the onset on her way to a game 3/4 of a length tally in a 1 1/16-mile turf maiden special weight for owners Team Spoor and trainer Anthony Dutrow. She was timed in 1:44.96 on a firm turf course.

Juniper's Moon is from the penultimate crop of the great European stallion Galileo and out of the three-time grade-1 winning mare I'm a Chatterbox . The filly, purchased for $725,000 as a yearling by J.R International Holdings at the 2021 Keeneland September Sale, is the second winner from two foals to race out of the Munnings   mare.

Gulfstream Park 

A week after landing the Holy Bull Stakes (G3) with Rocket Can , trainer Bill Mott may have another Kentucky Derby contender with Karl and Cathi Glassman’s Arthur's Ride . The ivory son of Tapit  , unraced since dropping a 3/4 of a length decision to Lecomte Stakes (G3) victor Instant Coffee  last September at Saratoga Race Course, returned to the races with an authoritative 1 1/2-length maiden special weight score Feb. 11 at Gulfstream Park.

Making his third trip to the post on Friday, the colt tugged his way to the front past the half-mile and maintained command till the wire, racing the mile in 1:36.28 on a fast main track.

Arthur’s Ride is a half sister to the Sovereign award champion 2-year-old filly Victory to Victory , captress of the 2016 Natalma Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine. Their dam, the Point Given mare Points of Grace , has also begat stakes winner Alittleloveandluck  and stakes-placed Double Blessed . Donato Lanni signed the ticket for Arthur’s Ride on behalf of his connections for $250,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.