Six Reasons Why Beholder Can Win The Distaff
Sometimes in sports and in horse racing a former great Champion can defy the odds and defy time to give you one of those once in a lifetime moments. Fans and experts have short memories, they're quick to jump on the next big sensation, like Songbird, and it's easy to forget the proven veteran, the proven Champion, like Beholder. Richard Mandella's mare, Beholder is looking for one of those once in a lifetime moments in this year's Breeders' Cup Distaff.
The once seemingly unbeatable mare has been written off by most experts. In what will most likely be the last start of her stellar career, the daughter of Henny Hughes looks to turn back the hands of time and give her fans and her connections one last spine tingling moment.
Is it possible to for Beholder to defeat Songbird and Stellar Wind? Has the six-year-old mare lost a step? Can Dick Mandella do the unthinkable? I'll answer all these questions with six reasons why Beholder can win the Breeders' Cup Distaff.
#1. Consistency. This three time Eclipse Award Winner has won over six MILLION dollars in purse money. She's only finished worse than second TWICE in her career. Her first time out of the exacta was in her debut, and the only other time she finished worse than second was when she shipped across the country in the (G1) Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park.
#2. Versatility. The Spendthrift Farm owned mare is extremely versatile. She has a great running style where she has the ability to sit off of quick fractions, or where she can be on the engine controlling the race. She really can do anything her jockey Gary Stevens asks her to do.
#3. Home field advantage. Her record at Santa Anita Park is borderline silly. Like seriously, how can a horse be that good at one track? She's 13 out of 15 in her career at Santa Anita with EIGHT Grade One victories, including two Breeders' Cup victories. She's never finished worse than second at 'The Great Race Place'.
#4. "Pop Mandella" Trainer Richard Mandella seems to be a wizard with horses like Beholder. He knows exactly how and win to crank it up and get his charges to perform at their best on the biggest stage. Do I believe Beholder has been cranked in her last few starts? No, Mandella knew all along that the Breeders' Cup Distaff would be the end goal. She'll be at her best come Friday.
#5. Post Position. Beholder finally draws outside. With post position #8 she holds all the cards to the race. If she wants to challenge Songbird early, she can. If she wants to rate and wait to make one big run, she can. If Songbird stumbles early, Gary can send her straight to the lead and rate the fractions he desires.
#6. Class. She's one of the classiest mares that's ever competed in the Breeders' Cup Distaff. She's won this race before on this track. She's danced all the dances. Her few defeats were mostly second place finishes in big races such as the Kentucky Oaks. This time last year she was undefeated on the year, a no-brainer for an Older Mare Eclipse Award, and those that doubt her now, were singing her praises last year and they believed she was the ONLY threat in the Classic to Triple Crown Winner American Pharoah.
Doubt her at your own risk! If you want to say she's lost a step with those three defeats, that's fine. Just remember, in two losses to Stellar Win the total margin of defeat is less than a length. Her other loss? A second place finish in the Pacific Classic to Breeders' Cup Classic favorite, California Chrome.
Like Kyle Hendricks and the Chicago Cubs look to do in game 7 of the World Series, Beholder will bring her A + Stuff. She will run a monster race. Will it be good enough to beat the likes of Songbird and Stellar Wind? We'll see Friday!