Beholder Posts Breeders' Cup Distaff Work
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Working under a fog so thick her trainer couldn't even see it, two-time Eclipse Award winner Beholder went five furlongs in company the morning of Oct. 12 in 1:02 1/5 under regular rider Mike Smith at Santa Anita Park.
Spendthrift Farm's Beholder is gearing up for a defense of her Breeders' Cup Distaff (gr. I) crown at Santa Anita Oct. 31. Stablemate Broken Up was given a time of 1:05 flat Sunday.
"(Beholder) worked in the fog so I didn't see it. She went real nice, though," Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella said of the champion 2-year-old filly of 2012 and 3-year-old filly queen last year.
"She'll get a bigger work next week, but she's in great shape."
Beholder won the Zenyatta Stakes (gr. I) at Santa Anita Sept. 27 in her first start since finishing fourth in the Ogden Phipps (gr. I) at Belmont Park in June.
She came out of the Ogden Phipps with a deep gash on her left hind pastern, but recovered with time. Beholder posted a workmanlike three-quarter length victory as the odds-on favorite in the Zenyatta, which she also won last year.
The latest drill was the second for Beholder since the Zenyatta. The daughter of Henny Hughes out of the Tricky Creek mare Leslie's Lady went three furlongs in an easy :38 1/5 Oct. 7. Beholder heads into this year's Breeders' Cup with 10 wins and three seconds from 15 lifetime starts and earnings of $3,368,300.
Trainer Steve Asmussen was on hand at Santa Anita Sunday morning to see West Virginia Derby (gr. II) winner Tapiture work five furlongs in :59 1/5 for the Dirt Mile (gr. I) Oct. 31, and Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Untapable go the same distance in 1:00 2/5 for the Distaff.