Champs Beholder, Stellar Wind Set for Vanity

Trainer Richard Mandella caught the essence of the June 4 Vanity Mile (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park in his familiar, succinct fashion.

With Spendthrift Farm's three-time champion Beholder set to take on fellow Eclipse Award winner Stellar Wind, along with a group of talented sprinters stretching out to two turns, the Hall of Fame conditioner got right to the point.

"It's a real race this time," Mandella said of the $400,000 event.

That sentiment is not to say the now 6-year-old daughter of Henny Hughes hasn't proven herself to be the top racemare in the country—it's just that during her five 2015 victories, along with a paid workout of sorts for her 2016 debut in the May 8 Adoration (gr. III), she's largely been unchallenged. Even against males, in the 2015 Pacific Classic (gr. I), she made the summer feature at Del Mar a laugher, routing the field by 8 1/4 lengths in her first start at 1 1/4 miles.

BALAN: Beholder Dominant in 2016 Debut

"I think she did it just as she pleased and she was supposed to, " Mandella said of the Adoration. "But 'supposed to' doesn't always match up in racing."

Mandella said he's seen nothing to doubt his superstar will bring anything other than her top form in the 2016 campaign, which will continue Saturday after the Adoration prep race. Beholder has recorded three timed workouts since the Adoration, including an impressive effort May 25, when she ran five furlongs in :59 2/5. It was the fastest of 30 works at the distance, and earned the rare Southern California "breezing" tag, seemingly reserved for the region's superstars. Her last drill was another "breezing" effort May 31, a half-mile run in :48 3/5 that Mandella called a "tune-up" for the Vanity.

NOVAK: Beholder Fires Bullet, Ready to Rumble

"She appears to be as good as she's ever been," Mandella said. "We'd like to think she's going to keep getting better."

As for the main challenger, Hronis Racing's champion 3-year-old filly of 2015 Stellar Wind, the Vanity has always been the plan for her 2016 debut. Trainer John Sadler likes the mile distance for the Curlin   filly's first 4-year-old start, except for the less-than-ideal rail draw, and—of course—that other champion just to the right of her in the gate at post 2.

"We're in a route race and there's seven horses, so the rail is OK," Sadler said. "I'd have preferred post 3 or 4, but the post is what it is. The first race back, we wanted to run at home. There's a lot of things we like about the race—except Beholder."

Sadler also played it cool answering questions regarding Stellar Wind returning from a seven-month layoff and maintaining her 3-year-old form, when she won four graded events—the Santa Ysabel (gr. III), Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I), Summertime Oaks (gr. II), and Torrey Pines (gr. III)—and ran second by a neck to Stopchargingmaria in the Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I).

"I can say this for sure—she's herself," Sadler said. "She's coming back as good as last year. You don't know what step forward she might take, but you're hopeful."

There's also the question of whether the new Vanity distance at a mile suits either champion best. In a likely attempt to attract talented sprinters trying to stretch out to two turns after some light Vanity fields in recent years, the move appears to have worked. This year, last-out Great Lady M. (gr. II, 6 1/2 furlongs) winner Finest City will make her two-turn debut for trainer Ian Kruljac and Seltzer Thoroughbreds and Terry Lovingier's Santa Monica (gr. II, seven furlongs) winner Lost Bus will similarly try a main-track route for the first time in her career. The Vanity had been at 1 1/8 miles since 1987, when it was run at 1 1/4 miles at Hollywood Park.

Stellar Wind has won both of her mile tries, in the 2015 Santa Ysabel and Torrey Pines, as has Beholder, but those came back in 2013 as a 3-year-old when she won the Torrey Pines and Las Virgenes (gr. I).

The most dangerous sprinter entered appears to be Taris, emphatic last-out winner of the seven-furlong Humana Distaff (gr. I) at Churchill Downs, who also has a victory around two turns three starts back in the La Canada (gr. II), but trainer Simon Callaghan said it is "likely" the Flatter   mare will pass on the Vanity to take on males in the Triple Bend (gr. I) at seven furlongs June 25 at Santa Anita.

BALAN: Taris Dominant in Humana Distaff

"We've entered, because we want to keep our options open with her," said Callaghan, who also has last-out allowance winner Divina Comedia in the Vanity field. "We're either going to run here or wait to run in the Triple Bend. Most likely, we're going to wait, but I've got to discuss it with the owners and we'll make a decision (by Friday)."

Taris' presence would make three grade I winners in the field, but even without her, the Vanity has been and will continue to be one of the most anticipated West Coast matchups of the year.

"We're excited," Sadler said. "I don't know how many races you get to see with two Eclipse Award winners in there."