Beholder Breezes Easy at Santa Anita
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With temperatures touching triple digits in Southern California recently, trainer Richard Mandella took it easy on two-time champion Beholder Sept. 11 at Santa Anita Park.
The 5-year-old Henny Hughes mare, who romped against males last time out in the TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I) at Del Mar, worked four furlongs in :49 flat Friday morning under her regular jockey Gary Stevens in preparation for the Sept. 26 Zenyatta Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita.
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Beholder was the only horse of 71 on the work tab to earn the rare West Coast "breezing" tag.
"It was an easy half in :49 and then a gallop out in 1:01 and change," Mandella said. "It was purposely easy because it's been awfully hot. We'll get another one into her in about a week. She doesn't need much. She's been doing great."
Also on the Santa Anita work tab was Mandella-trained grade III winner Bal a Bali (four furlongs, :49 1/5), two-time grade III winner Distinctiv Passion (five furlongs, :58 flat), and Bob Baffert-trained Gimme Da Lute (six furlongs, 1:11 4/5), who has won four straight stakes in Southern California.