Beholder Has Plenty to Accomplish in Zenyatta

With another run against males in the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) potentially in Beholder's future, it might be easy to overlook the $300,000 Zenyatta Stakes (gr. I) Sept. 26 at Santa Anita Park, but that would be misguided.



A win for the 5-year-old mare in the Zenyatta would hold plenty of significance, most notably aligning herself with... Zenyatta. It would be Beholder's third straight win in the race, only equaled by the Queen, who won the race three straight times—when it was called the Lady Secret Stakes (gr. I)—in 2008, 2009, and 2010 at Hollywood Park.



"She was a great mare," Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella said of Zenyatta. "But I like mine."



Coming off an 8 1/4-length triumph in the Aug. 22 TVG Pacific Classic (gr. I), a victory would also give Spendthrift Farm-owned Beholder her ninth grade I score, inching toward Zenyatta's total of 13 top-level wins.



BALAN: Beholder Blows Away Pacific Classic Foes



Entering the 1 1/16-mile dirt test for fillies and mares, Mandella has admittedly taken it easy on his standout mare since her last breeze at Santa Anita Sept. 18.



"She's had some good gallops, but it's been really hot," Mandella said. "I think it would be a negative to take too much out of her."

BALAN: Beholder Working Well Toward Zenyatta



The spotlight will be on again Saturday, but the daughter of Henny Hughes will face a familiar group—one she's handled with ease in the past.



Grade I winners Warren's Veneda and My Sweet Addiction return to challenge Beholder after finishing well behind the two-time Eclipse Award winner in the Clement L. Hirsch (gr. I) at Del Mar Aug. 1. Oscar Party, My Monet, and Wild in the Saddle are also Zenyatta entrants who have finished well behind Beholder in the past.



Fresh faces include Savings Account, a graded stakes-placed runner who came in fifth behind top finishers Wild in the Saddle and My Monet in the Tranquility Lake Stakes at Del Mar; 3-year-old Big Book, second to Stellar Wind in the Torrey Pines (gr. III) at Del Mar last time out; and Kyriaki, coming off two straight allowance/optional claiming victories.

Should all go well in the Zenyatta, Beholder is expected to run next at Keeneland in the Oct. 31 Breeders' Cup Classic, and her connections hope to race her in 2016.

MITCHELL: Beholder Will Target BC Classic