Beholder to be Bred to Uncle Mo

The racing days of Beholder have finally drawn to a close, as Spendthrift Farm officially announced the 6-year-old’s retirement Nov. 6, two days after her thrilling victory over Songbird in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (gr. I). Moving on to B. Wayne Hughes’ Lexington farm, she has been booked to runaway leading second-crop sire Uncle Mo   early next year.

“We are excited to help usher in the next chapter of Beholder’s unprecedented career, and I can't think of a better way to get it started than to breed her to Uncle Mo,” said Spendthrift general manager Ned Toffey. “His record-breaking production in his first two years at stud made this an easy decision. We went by the old adage of ‘breed the best to the best and hope for the best.’”

Trained by Richard Mandella, Beholder went out on top in a race for the ages over the previously unbeaten Songbird at Santa Anita Park. She is retired as the first horse ever to win a grade I race at ages 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

BALAN: Beholder Noses Out Songbird in BC Distaff

Beholder is also the only horse in history to win both the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) and Distaff, and remains the first filly since Hall of Fame champion Silverbulletday to earn the Eclipse Award at both 2 and 3.

She is also among a select few females in the history of the sport to be named champion 2-year-old filly, 3-year-old filly, and older female, a title she won in 2015.

A winner of 11 grade I races and $6,156,600, with 18 wins from 26 starts, Beholder will be bred to last year’s leading freshman and general 2-year-old sire. 

Standing at Ashford Stud, Uncle Mo has sired 11 graded stakes winners with more than $15 million in progeny earnings to date. He has three grade I winners from his first crop, including last year’s champion 2-year-old male and this year’s Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner Nyquist  . Nyquist will stand his first season in 2017 at Darley.

“Beholder and Uncle Mo looks like a match made in heaven,” said Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier. “She must be one of the greatest race mares we’ve ever seen, and what Uncle Mo has achieved so far is almost beyond belief. I hope Mr. Hughes will breed another champion. We bought Beholder’s half brother (by Scat Daddy) at Keeneland in September, and we can only hope that he’ll be half as good as her.”

Bred by Clarkland Farm, Beholder is by two-time Eclipse finalist Henny Hughes, out of Leslie’s Lady, by Tricky Creek. Leslie’s Lady is the dam of Spendthrift stallion Into Mischief and her yearling topped the Keeneland September sale at $3 million.