Beholder secured her place in history with her victory in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and it was not only a win for a tremendous mare. It was also a win for the connections and all of the people behind the scenes that helped her success.
Her victory came at the expense of Songbird at Santa Anita, who was losing for the first time in her career and now Beholder ends her racing career clearly on top.
Sometimes, fans underestimate the importance of post position but that importance came into play in the Distaff big time. Beholder drew the outside post where her Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens was not forced into an early move.
Stevens, who got a leg up on his horse by trainer Richard Mandella, had the luxury of letting his mount settle, assess the situation AND then get into gear.
Songbird, under Mike Smith, who has won more Breeders’ Cup races than any man alive, was compromised a bit by the contested pace. Florent Geroux, who was aloft 16-1 I’m a Chatterbox, pushed Songbird through honest early fractions and that many have softened up the filly.
The move by I’m a Chatterbox took all the pressure off of Beholder. If that runner did not take up the chase after Songbird, Stevens would have been forced to ask his mount much earlier than he wanted to and that could have had implications later in the race.
Songbird was clinging to a length lead after three-quarters of a mile in 1:11.14. She was only up by a head at the top of the lane after a mile in 1:36.15. When it was said and done, Beholder won the head bob in a final time of 1:49.20.
Beholder secured her place in history by making that patented three-wide move on the final turn. She looked Songbird in the eye, and the sophomore blinked a bit.
This obviously was not Stevens’ first rodeo. He won the Distaff back in 1994 with One Dreamer. Four short years later he did it again with Escena.
Stevens was basically in awe after Beholder secured her place in history, Stevens: “I’ve been in battles before, but never the length of the stretch. I mean, it was a full almost five-sixteenths—definitely a quarter of a mile of just a street fight.”
Beholder secured her place in history by putting up a very legitimate Beyer Speed Figure in her final career race. After losing efforts when she recorded 106 and 110 Beyers, Beholder earned a 105 figure beating Songbird by the scantest of margins.
To put that number into perspective, know that the winner of last year’s Distaff, Stopchargingmaria, only earned a 98 Beyer. The winner of the 2014 Distaff recorded a 103 Beyer. To accentuate how consistent Beholder has been in her career, she proved it this weekend. Beholder secured her place in history this season by earning the exact 105 Beyer she did in winning the Distaff in 2012.
Beholder hangs up the racing shoes with a resume that few have ever attained. She won three championships. She beat the boys in the Pacific Classic and she reached the winner’s circle 18 times. Beholder secured her place in history by winning three Breeders’ Cup races and will make it four Eclipse Awards for sure.
As great, and Beholder is truly a great horse, she would not be in a position to be so successful without a team of professionals back at the barn. Trainer Mandella’s foreman, Jose Vera, has a role, like all in his trade, to take care of each and every horse. Like an executive assistant, he has to make sure the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed. He will surely miss Beholder as will her groom Ruben Mercado.
Lastly, Mandella deserves his props. I was fortunate enough to do a TV program with the trainer back in the day and the trainer was already on his way to legendary status.
After the Saturday card, Mandella just added to his already stuffed trophy case. He is the first, and probably the only, trainer to win four Breeders’ Cup races in one season. He has won the Juvenile Fillies three times, the Turf twice, the Classic and Juvenile once and now the Distaff twice.
The wins will keep on keeping on.
