Beholder wires a brilliant victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies
Richard Mandella trained 2-year-old filly, Beholder, turned in an impressive gate to wire victory in the Grade 1, $2 million Grey Goose Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies by holding off the favoured, Executiveprivilege, in the deep stretch to post a length victory in the 1 1/16 mile event at Santa Anita Park on 2 November, 2012.
Bob Baffert trained, Executiveprivilege, broke really well out of her gate, but so did Beholder on the inside, and her swift break propelled her to an early lead right beside the rail.
It was Executiveprivilege, who took the responsibility to push the leader, as the field carved in some quick fractions, but Rafael Bejarano pegged Executiveprivilege back rounding the first turn and in the backstretch it was Todd Pletcher trained, Kauai Katie, who filled the second stop, and trailing the trio was another Pletcher trained juvenile filly, Dreaming of Julia.
Under jockey Garrett Gomez, Beholder never looked like giving up the lead, and even after rounding off for home, the filly opened up an impressive two length lead from Kauai Katie, who was pushed to the limit by the leader.
Executiveprivilege stalked with determination and on the outside made her bid to overhaul Beholder, but all in vain, as Beholder found another gear and spurted away to win the 1 1/16 mile event in 1 minute and 43.61 seconds, casting Executiveprivilege in second and Dreaming of Julia edged her stablemate, Kauai Katie to finished third.
"When we came from Del Mar, she had just run her third race in the Debutante (gr. I)," said trainer Richard Mandella. "Consequently, the race the last few days of Del Mar and shipping up to Santa Anita caught up with her mentally and she wouldn't turn off and relax leading up to the Chandelier Stakes (gr. I)."
"Immediately, she settled down," Mandella said. "Then it was easy to go for the big money. She never got upset after the race and that was the concern."
Spendthrift Farm’s Beholder finished second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante over seven furlongs, and then won a 6 furlong allowance race at Santa Anita.
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