Marley's Freedom and Selcourt Face Off in Beholder

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Marley's Freedom and Selcourt Face Off in Beholder
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Photo: BENOIT PHOTO
Marley's Freedom and Drayden Van Dyke return from winning the Santa Monica Stakes at Santa Anita Park

One-two finishers when last they met, Marley's Freedom and Selcourt will stretch out an eighth of a mile in the $400,000 Beholder Mile (G1) March 30 at Santa Anita Park.

Sent off as the 3-5 favorite in the seven-furlong Santa Monica Stakes (G2) Feb. 16, Marley's Freedom won by 1 1/4 lengths over a stubborn Selcourt, who went off at 5-1. 

Ridden with confidence by Drayden Van Dyke, Marley's Freedom came off a Dec. 1 victory by a neck in the Dec. 1 Go For Wand Stakes (G3), a one-turn mile at Aqueduct Racetrack. Cicero Farms' 5-year-old daughter of Blame  has been working forwardly for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, including a five-furlong move March 23 in :59 4/5 at Santa Anita, second-fastest of 92 at the distance.

Marley's Freedom is a winner of six of her last seven starts, five of them graded stakes, including the Aug. 25 Ketel One Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

Selcourt will try two turns for the first time in the Beholder, which will mark her 10th career start. Campaigned by John Sadler for Medallion Racing and Keith Abrahams, the 5-year-old Tiz Wonderful mare made all the early running in the Santa Monica, leading through splits of :22 2/5, :45, and 1:09 3/5 over a good track before she was collared late by Marley's Freedom. Despite being overtaken, she battled gamely to the wire and held Mopotism at bay by half a length for the place.

Mopotism and Paradise Woods, who was fifth in the Santa Monica, are also entered in Saturday's seven-horse field along with allowance winners Secret Spice, Exuberance, and Just a Smidge.


Entries: Beholder Mile S. (G1)

Santa Anita Park, Saturday, March 30, 2019, Race 9

  • Grade I
  • 1m
  • Dirt
  • $400,000
  • 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
  • 5:28 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Secret Spice (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Geovanni Franco 121 Richard Baltas 6/1
2 2Selcourt (KY) Tyler Baze 121 John W. Sadler 5/1
3 3Paradise Woods (KY) Evin A. Roman 121 John A. Shirreffs 6/1
4 4Exuberance (KY) Victor Espinoza 121 Ian Kruljac 15/1
5 5Marley's Freedom (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Drayden Van Dyke 121 Bob Baffert 4/5
6 6Just a Smidge (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Assael Espinoza 121 Bob Baffert 10/1
7 7Mopotism (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Mario Gutierrez 121 Doug F. O'Neill 6/1