Gomez Has Options With Beholder

Inside or out, when you’re on the best horse, you have options, and Garrett Gomez figures he has plenty on imminent Juvenile Fillies champion of 2012 Beholder when she makes her 3-year-old debut in Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. holiday feature, the Grade II Santa Ynez Stakes.

Beholder, who handed then-division leader Executiveprivilege her first defeat in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 2, drew post position eight in a field of eight going 6 ½ furlongs.

“I’d rather be out there, because we’ve been doing some stuff with her (working behind horses),” said Gomez, who has ridden the daughter of Henny Hughes for owner B. Wayne Hughes and trainer Richard Mandella in each of her five starts.

“That’s not to necessarily say she’s going to behave exactly the way we’d like her to,” Gomez added. “She has a mind of her own. But being outside, if she does decide to be patient and there’s a lot of speed, she gives me a hand where I can play my cards however I’d like to.

“If she doesn’t, she’ll be vamanos. But at least the outside post will give me some options with her, if she’s willing to adapt to some of the stuff we’ve been asking of her.

“If not, we’ll let her do what she does.”

The field for the Santa Ynez: Small Moves, Victor Espinoza, 30-1; Blushing Angel, Joe Talamo, 10-1; Dawn’s Charm, Edwin Maldonado, 5-1; Lady Rosamond, Martin Garcia, 10-1; Inwiththeblonde, Juan Hernandez, 10-1; Renee’s Titan, Tyler Baze, 8-1; Switch to the Lead, Julien Leparoux, 8-1; and Beholder, Garrett Gomez, 3-5.