Beholder B , M, foaled May 9, 2010 ( Henny Hughes - Leslie's Lady, by Tricky Creek) Jockey: Mike E. Smith Trainer: Richard E. Mandella Owner: Spendthrift Farm LLC Breeder: Clarkland Farm Career Record: 0 - 1 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 0 - 1 Possible Starts: Unknown |
The next horse to be featured on " The Horse Spotlight " Series is Beholder. Owned by Spendthrift Farm LLC, this bay 5 year old mare was born on May 9th 2010 and has earned $3,368,300 total in her 15 starts.
Two Year Old Season:
Beholder's first start was on June 28th 2012, in a maiden special weight. She finished 4th behind, Travesura, Renee's Queen, and Executiveprivilege ( the eventual winner ). She tried again on July 22nd, in another maiden special weight but this time Beholder won, breaking her maiden on the second try. Beholder was then pointed towards her first graded stakes, the G1 Del Mar Debutante on September 1st. She had a clean break from the number 9 position and went straight to the lead. the 1/4 mile was run in 22.44 with Beholder as the leader. The bay mare, kept a small lead on the field as the turned for home. The 1/2 mile was run in 45.34. Beholder held on to the lead, but battled it out with Executiveprivilege. In the end it was a photo finish, in which Beholder lost by a nose. The 7 furlong race was ran in 1:23.43. Her next start was a six furlong allowance on October 4th. She won, running the race in 1:09.00. Next for Beholder was the Grade 1 Breeder's Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita. Beholder broke from the number 1 spot and easily went right to the lead. As the field turned for home, beholder held her lead and started pulling away slightly. Executiveprivilege came to the outside and chased Beholder down to the but Beholder hung on and led the field from start to finish to win over Executiveprivilege. The final time for the mile and a 1/16 race was 1:43.61. This would be Beholder's last race of her two year old season.
Three Year Old Season:
Beholder's first start first start of her three year old season was the G2 Santa Ynez on January 21st 2013. She had a good break on the outside from position number eight. She stayed in the stalking third position until the final turn. She went to the front and held on to finish 2nd to Renee's Titian. Her next race was the G1 Las Virgenes. Beholder went from start to finish leading the field, and won by possible more than 4 lengths. Beholder ran again on April 6th, in the Santa Anita Oaks. Once again Beholder broke clean from the number five spot and led the filed the whole way home to win by a few lengths. next Beholder went to the G1 Kentucky Oaks. Beholder ran a great race and as they turned into the final stretch she took the lead but late coming Princess of Sylmar caught Beholder in the end and beat her by a neck. After her defeat in the Kentucky Oaks, Beholder took a break but came back on September 1st to run in the Torrey Pines. Beholder quickly restored her winning ways, leading the filed once again from start to finish to add another win under her belt. She then went on to run in the G1 Zenyatta on September 28th. Beholder did her usual gate to wire running style and won easily, guaranteeing her a spot in the 2013 Breeder's Cup Distaff. This 3 year old fillies last start of the year would be the G1 Breeder's Cup Distaff on November 1st 2013. Beholder broke great and settled into third behind the leaders, in the far stretch she moved up to second. She made her move around the final turn and lead the field into the final stretch. She pulled away from the small field to win by a few lengths under Gary Stevens!
Four Year Old Season:
Beholder only ran 3 times in her four year old season due to injury and sickness. She made her first start of the year in the Santa Lucia on April 20th 2014. Beholder broke clean and went into the second position behind the leader. She stayed there until they hit the quarter pole and she took the lead easily. Around the final turn she pulled away to win by about 5 lengths. Next Beholder ran in the G1 Ogden Phipps Handicap on June 7th. She would be running against her main rivals Close Hatches and Princess of Sylamar. Beholder had a great break but didn't seem to be running like herself. She finished 4th and soon after the race it had be announced that beholder had a deep gash in her left hind pastern. After months of healing Beholder returned to the track on September 27th 2014 to run in the G1 Zenyatta. Breaking from the number 4 position, Beholder had a great break. She stayed in the thrid position for most of the race before slowly inching up to the lead. around the final turn, she took the lead and won over Tiz Midnight, guaranteeing her a spot in the Breeder's Cup Distaff again. Beholder was scheduled to sell in the 2014 Fasig - Tipton November sale after the Breeder's Cup, but a sudden fever kept Beholder out of the BC Distaff and pulled her from the Fasig - Tipton Sale.
-
I talked to Eric Gustavson, who works for Spendthirft Farm, over email, about their champion mare.
Q: What is Beholder's running style?
A: Beholder is an incredibly talented runner, but she does have a favorite style, which is to be on or close to the lead. She has won many races from both circumstances.
Q: Are you happy with her health wise? As I understand she had a fever in October.
A: We are thankful to say she has a clean bill of health, following the fever she had in mid October.
Q: What are the plans for her future?
A: Our plan for Beholder, with our trainer Richard Mandella, is to aim for the Breeders Cup Distaff in Keeneland at the end of October and schedule her backwards from there, primarily in Grade 1 races.
Q: How do you think beholder would have done if she ran in the Breeder's Cup Distaff?
A: We are confident that had Beholder been healthy for the Breeders Cup, she certainly would have given the winner, Untapable, a run for the money. Beholder loves the track at Santa Anita and is not in the habit of getting beat there.
Q: What is she like around the barn?
A: Beholder is pretty sweet around the barn. Richard loves her. She is a bit of a bear, however, in the saddling paddock before races, where she can get pretty wound up.
Q: Does she enjoy running?
A: Beholder loves to run! Thoroughbreds are herd animals, and it's instinctual for them to run and to want to. Like everything else, some are just better at it than others, and she is exceptional.
Q: When do you think Beholder will return to the track?
A: Our girl is back at the track just jogging now, preparing to start up with more serious training soon. She is doing great, and we are hopeful for a big 2015 with her
Q: Anything else you would like to add about Beholder?
A: Mr. Hughes, our owner, had originally planned to sell Beholder in the Keeneland November sale immediately following the Breeders Cup race. This was a tough decision, because we all love her so much, but because she is so valuable, Mr. Hughes thought from a business standpoint, the farm couldn't afford not to sell her. When she came up with the fever, she was scratched not only from the Breeders Cup, but also from the sale, because we thought it unsafe for her to travel. What a blessing in disguise that was, because now we get to run her for another year, and who knows-maybe we won't sell her and she will be the star of our broodmare band next breeding season.
Thank you to Eric Gustavson for answering all my questions about one of my favorite racehorses, Beholder.
As of now Beholder is being trained by Richard Mandella, and she is jogging on the track prepping for her 5 year old season. Good Luck to Beholder and the rest of the Spendthrift Stables horses in 2015!
- Madi Moran
@madimoran_ on instagram
Two Year Old Season:
Beholder's first start was on June 28th 2012, in a maiden special weight. She finished 4th behind, Travesura, Renee's Queen, and Executiveprivilege ( the eventual winner ). She tried again on July 22nd, in another maiden special weight but this time Beholder won, breaking her maiden on the second try. Beholder was then pointed towards her first graded stakes, the G1 Del Mar Debutante on September 1st. She had a clean break from the number 9 position and went straight to the lead. the 1/4 mile was run in 22.44 with Beholder as the leader. The bay mare, kept a small lead on the field as the turned for home. The 1/2 mile was run in 45.34. Beholder held on to the lead, but battled it out with Executiveprivilege. In the end it was a photo finish, in which Beholder lost by a nose. The 7 furlong race was ran in 1:23.43. Her next start was a six furlong allowance on October 4th. She won, running the race in 1:09.00. Next for Beholder was the Grade 1 Breeder's Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita. Beholder broke from the number 1 spot and easily went right to the lead. As the field turned for home, beholder held her lead and started pulling away slightly. Executiveprivilege came to the outside and chased Beholder down to the but Beholder hung on and led the field from start to finish to win over Executiveprivilege. The final time for the mile and a 1/16 race was 1:43.61. This would be Beholder's last race of her two year old season.
Three Year Old Season:
Beholder's first start first start of her three year old season was the G2 Santa Ynez on January 21st 2013. She had a good break on the outside from position number eight. She stayed in the stalking third position until the final turn. She went to the front and held on to finish 2nd to Renee's Titian. Her next race was the G1 Las Virgenes. Beholder went from start to finish leading the field, and won by possible more than 4 lengths. Beholder ran again on April 6th, in the Santa Anita Oaks. Once again Beholder broke clean from the number five spot and led the filed the whole way home to win by a few lengths. next Beholder went to the G1 Kentucky Oaks. Beholder ran a great race and as they turned into the final stretch she took the lead but late coming Princess of Sylmar caught Beholder in the end and beat her by a neck. After her defeat in the Kentucky Oaks, Beholder took a break but came back on September 1st to run in the Torrey Pines. Beholder quickly restored her winning ways, leading the filed once again from start to finish to add another win under her belt. She then went on to run in the G1 Zenyatta on September 28th. Beholder did her usual gate to wire running style and won easily, guaranteeing her a spot in the 2013 Breeder's Cup Distaff. This 3 year old fillies last start of the year would be the G1 Breeder's Cup Distaff on November 1st 2013. Beholder broke great and settled into third behind the leaders, in the far stretch she moved up to second. She made her move around the final turn and lead the field into the final stretch. She pulled away from the small field to win by a few lengths under Gary Stevens!
Four Year Old Season:
Beholder only ran 3 times in her four year old season due to injury and sickness. She made her first start of the year in the Santa Lucia on April 20th 2014. Beholder broke clean and went into the second position behind the leader. She stayed there until they hit the quarter pole and she took the lead easily. Around the final turn she pulled away to win by about 5 lengths. Next Beholder ran in the G1 Ogden Phipps Handicap on June 7th. She would be running against her main rivals Close Hatches and Princess of Sylamar. Beholder had a great break but didn't seem to be running like herself. She finished 4th and soon after the race it had be announced that beholder had a deep gash in her left hind pastern. After months of healing Beholder returned to the track on September 27th 2014 to run in the G1 Zenyatta. Breaking from the number 4 position, Beholder had a great break. She stayed in the thrid position for most of the race before slowly inching up to the lead. around the final turn, she took the lead and won over Tiz Midnight, guaranteeing her a spot in the Breeder's Cup Distaff again. Beholder was scheduled to sell in the 2014 Fasig - Tipton November sale after the Breeder's Cup, but a sudden fever kept Beholder out of the BC Distaff and pulled her from the Fasig - Tipton Sale.
-
I talked to Eric Gustavson, who works for Spendthirft Farm, over email, about their champion mare.
Q: What is Beholder's running style?
A: Beholder is an incredibly talented runner, but she does have a favorite style, which is to be on or close to the lead. She has won many races from both circumstances.
Q: Are you happy with her health wise? As I understand she had a fever in October.
A: We are thankful to say she has a clean bill of health, following the fever she had in mid October.
Q: What are the plans for her future?
A: Our plan for Beholder, with our trainer Richard Mandella, is to aim for the Breeders Cup Distaff in Keeneland at the end of October and schedule her backwards from there, primarily in Grade 1 races.
Q: How do you think beholder would have done if she ran in the Breeder's Cup Distaff?
A: We are confident that had Beholder been healthy for the Breeders Cup, she certainly would have given the winner, Untapable, a run for the money. Beholder loves the track at Santa Anita and is not in the habit of getting beat there.
Q: What is she like around the barn?
A: Beholder is pretty sweet around the barn. Richard loves her. She is a bit of a bear, however, in the saddling paddock before races, where she can get pretty wound up.
Q: Does she enjoy running?
A: Beholder loves to run! Thoroughbreds are herd animals, and it's instinctual for them to run and to want to. Like everything else, some are just better at it than others, and she is exceptional.
Q: When do you think Beholder will return to the track?
A: Our girl is back at the track just jogging now, preparing to start up with more serious training soon. She is doing great, and we are hopeful for a big 2015 with her
Q: Anything else you would like to add about Beholder?
A: Mr. Hughes, our owner, had originally planned to sell Beholder in the Keeneland November sale immediately following the Breeders Cup race. This was a tough decision, because we all love her so much, but because she is so valuable, Mr. Hughes thought from a business standpoint, the farm couldn't afford not to sell her. When she came up with the fever, she was scratched not only from the Breeders Cup, but also from the sale, because we thought it unsafe for her to travel. What a blessing in disguise that was, because now we get to run her for another year, and who knows-maybe we won't sell her and she will be the star of our broodmare band next breeding season.
Thank you to Eric Gustavson for answering all my questions about one of my favorite racehorses, Beholder.
As of now Beholder is being trained by Richard Mandella, and she is jogging on the track prepping for her 5 year old season. Good Luck to Beholder and the rest of the Spendthrift Stables horses in 2015!
- Madi Moran
@madimoran_ on instagram