Marley's Freedom, Selcourt seek rematch in Beholder Mile

One-two finishers when last they met, Bob Baffert’s Marley’s Freedom and John Sadler’s Selcourt will stretch out an eighth of a mile as they head Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita Park, which has attracted an outstanding field of seven older fillies and mares.  

Dispatched as the 3-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Santa Monica Stakes here Feb. 16, Marley’s Freedom overhauled late to win by 1 ¼ lengths over a stubborn Selcourt, who was off at 5-1.  

Owner: Cicero Farms, LLC                                                           

Trainer: Bob Baffert  

Ridden with confidence by Drayden Van Dyke, Marley’s Freedom was an impressive winner of the Santa Monica, which followed what was no doubt one of her best career efforts, a one turn mile win by a neck in the Grade 3 Go For Wand at Aqueduct on Dec. 1. A resounding winner of the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes four starts back on Aug. 25 at Saratoga, this 5-year-old Blame mare appears strictly the horse to beat in the Beholder on Saturday. A winner of six out of her last seven starts, five of them graded stakes, Marley’s Freedom is 15: 8-2-0 overall with earnings of $935,935.  

Owner: Medallion Racing & Keith Abrahams                               

Trainer: John Sadler  

Lightly raced and blessed with immense talent sprinting, this 5-year-old Tiz Wonderful mare will try two turns for the first time in what will be her 10th career start. Breaking from the No. 2 post position in a field of five in the seven-furlong Santa Monica, Selcourt made all the early running, leading through splits of 22.40, 45 flat and 1:09.60 over a track listed as “good.” Although she was collared late by Marley’s Freedom, Selcourt battled gamely to the wire, holding Mopotism at bay by a half length for the place. Ridden by Joe Talamo last time out, she’ll be reunited with Tyler Baze, who had ridden her to four victories in her eight previous starts.