Mandella Says Beholder is Ready to Go
Two-time Eclipse Award champion Beholder seeks her 10th win from 11 career starts at Santa Anita when she runs in Saturday’s Grade III, $100,000 Adoration Stakes for fillies and mares, 3 and up, at 1 1/16 miles.
“She’s ready to go,” said Richard Mandella, who trains the 5-year-old Henny Hughes mare for owner B. Wayne Hughes. “There have been a few bumps in the road, including the temperature that forced her to miss the Grade I Vanity (on May 9), but there are a lot of bumps in this business. Fortunately, Beholder has good shock absorbers.
“She looks great and we’re looking forward to seeing her run.”
Mandella also saddles American Stakes winner Bal a Bali Saturday in the Grade I Shoemaker Mile on turf.
“He’s in good shape,” Mandella said of the 5-year-old Brazilian-bred horse, who won his U.S. debut by a length on May 9, his first start in 11 months. Overall, Bal a Bali has won 12 of 13 starts, including his last nine in a row.
The field for the Shoemaker, race five of nine: Winning Prize, Martin Garcia, 8-1; Talco, Rafael Bejarano, 5-1; Midnight Storm, Tyler Baze, 6-5; Seek Again, Jose Lezcano, 4-1; andBal a Bali, Flavien Prat, 9-5.
The Adoration, which goes as race eight: My Monet, Gonzalo Nicolas, 15-1; Grandiose Tactics, Drayden Van Dyke, 20-1; Cast in Silver, Flavien Prat, 20-1; Beholder, Gary Stevens, 2-5; Warren’s Veneda, Tyler Baze, 5-2; Wild in the Saddle, Rafael Bejarano, 8-1; and Oscar Party, Santiago Gonzalez, 20-1.
MIRAHMADI FILLS IN FOR DENMAN BEHIND THE MIC
Trevor Denman, the treasured voice of Santa Anita since 1983, is on a two-week break and will return for the final weekend of the Spring Meet on June 27-28.
Denman is at his Minnesota farm in an effort to get things ship-shape while also recharging his batteries from the lengthy season that began last Dec. 26.
The inimitable Frank Mirahmadi, who filled in admirably for Denman last year, once again will take over behind the mic starting today.
“I’ll be back for the Gold Cup weekend,” Denman said before leaving. “As I said last year, it’s a matter of taking care of the 40 little cows on the farm, so I’ve got to go back.”
The farm is located in a dot on the map called Kellogg, 90 miles south of Minneapolis and about 15 miles from Wabasha.
“A house is bad enough,” Denman said. “There’s always something wrong with it, but a farm is five times worse. Pipes break, water doesn’t flow, things go wrong all the time. I have a farmer who actually owns the cows, so he comes over every now and again, but you’ve got to be there.”
Denman welcomed the breather after years of maintaining a shorter schedule at Santa Anita, which extended its meet with the absorption of most of the days lost by Hollywood Park with the closing of its venue in December of 2013.
“I’m so used to that easy calendar every year,” Denman said. “It has been a long meet. They just keep coming at you, so the break is good. They always say, ‘Can you do it?’ Of course you can.
“But you’re going to lose a bit of enthusiasm after a while. If you don’t, you’re not a human being. That battery recharge puts you up to 100 percent again.
“It’s great to have Frank here. I’ve known him for over 20 years. I just feel so comfortable having him as a replacement.”
FIRST 5,000 FANS TO RECEIVE TRIPLE CROWN PRINT SATURDAY
Santa Anita has announced that it will provide the first 5,000 attendees on Saturday a beautiful American Pharoah Triple Crown Champion collectable print, free of charge with paid General Admission. Each item will be accompanied by a protective plastic roll-up sleeve.
The print showcases the Bob Baffert-conditioned Triple Crown Champ and jockey Victor Espinoza in three must-see shots--winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes--and thereby becoming racing’s first Triple Crown winner in 37 years this past Saturday. (All photos were shot by acclaimed equine photographer, Skip Dickstein).
First post time on Saturday at Santa Anita is at 12:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m. (Please note, the American Pharoah Triple Crown Champion poster will not be available in Santa Anita’s Infield Area).
FINISH LINES: American Pharoah, who will be paraded at Churchill Downs on Saturday, will return to Santa Anita Thursday, June 18 . . . Bob and Jill Baffert have announced major donations to four charities that care for racing’s retired athletes. Following American Pharoah’s historic victory in the Belmont Stakes and becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, the Bafferts said donations would be given to CARMA, Old Friends, TAA, and PDJF. "Jill and I are blessed and honored to be in a position to be able to donate a portion of my earnings to these four special charities whose work is vital to our industry,” Baffert said. “We hope these contributions will go a long way toward supporting and bringing awareness to the very important work these non-profit organizations do in caring for our human and equine athletes.” Added Madeline Auerbach, CARMA’s Founder and Past President: “I spoke to both Bob and Jill before the race and they told me of their plans to shine a very bright spotlight on horse retirement.” Noted Lucinda Mandella, CARMA’s Executive Director: “We are very grateful to Bob and Jill for making such a substantial contribution to CARMA. Their generosity and support means so much. They have demonstrated exceptional leadership for such an important cause in our industry.” CARMA, (California Retirement Management Account), was founded in 2007 and has granted over $2.5 million dollars to charities that retire, retrain and rehome off-track Thoroughbreds. It is a charitable 501 (c)(3) organization formed to assist Thoroughbred rehabilitation and retirement organizations that facilitate the care and retraining of horses who raced in California and whose racing careers have ended . . . Under regular rider Martin Garcia, Santa Anita Derby winner Dortmund worked four furlongs in company Thursday in 49.20, while stablemate Flat Footed Mama went the same distance in 49.80. Baffert called Dortmund’s drill “perfect.” . . . Laz Barrera winner Kentuckian, prepping for the Los Alamitos Derby on July 4, worked five furlongs for Jerry Hollendorfer in a bullet 58.80 . . . Agent Brian Beach said Victor Espinoza will resume riding at Santa Anita next Thursday and not this Sunday as previously announced.
Source: Santa Anita Park