Switch to the Lead Takes on Beholder

It looks like the field against Beholder in Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. holiday feature, the Grade II Santa Ynez Stakes, but, as the old saying goes, “They still have to run around the track.” That could be one reason trainer Patrick Biancone has entered Switch to the Lead in the 6 ½ furlong race in which 2012 Juvenile Fillies champ Beholder is set to make her 3-year-old debut.

Switch to the Lead, a bay daughter of Songandaprayer owned and bred by the Kona Stables of Richard Giacopelli of Woodcliff Lakes, N.J., was second last Nov. 3 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Preview at Santa Anita. She was bumped at the start, as she was in her previous race, the Grade I Chandelier Stakes last Sept. 29.

“The bump in the Chandelier was bad,” Biancone said. “The other one was just a little one. She ran a good race that day and we got a chance to give her a break. She’s had some time and she’s coming back.

“I know the Santa Ynez is a tough race, but we’ll take a chance.” Bob Baffert on his Lady Rosamond taking on Beholder: “My filly worked well the other day, and you can’t avoid Beholder forever.”

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