Beholder Annihilates The Boys In Pacific Classic

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August 22nd – 23rd

Beholder Makes History Annihilating The Boys In Pacific Classic

This year’s Gr.1 Pacific Classic saw horse racing history made when morning line favorite Beholder annihilated the boys by 8 ¼-lengths, becoming the first female to win the Pacific Classic in history and nearly breaking a track record when she stopped the clock at 1:59.77.

Nine boys, which included some of the nation’s best, attempted to challenge the multiple Eclipse Award-winning and Breeders’ Cup champion mare. Nine boys would come no closer than 8 ¼ lengths to Beholder, who left them hopelessly behind, lost in her glory.

The race did not set-up to Bayern’s advantage. Last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner broke sharply from the gate and took to the lead as per usual. But the four-year-old, by Offlee Wild, was confronted by Midnight Storm, who pressed the frontrunner to pick up the pace or risk losing the lead. The two set blazing fractions (the quarter in :22.36 and half in :45.45) up front while Beholder stalked easily in third, averaging 4 ½ lengths behind the dueling speedsters. By the half, she had seen enough.

Letting out a burst of speed, she rocketed to the lead in the blink-of-an-eye entering the far turn. Eating up ground impressively she continued to set fast fractions (three-quarters in 1:09.98, and mile in 1:35.12) while opening up the gap back to second place finisher Catch a Flight, and hitting the wire 66 milliseconds shy of breaking Argentinian-bred Candy Ride’s track record of 1:59.11, set in 2003.

The five-year-old daughter of Henry Hughes is trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella and was ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. Owned by Spendthrift Farm LLC, this is Beholder’s 14th win of 19 career starts since her debut in June of 2012. Since then, she has won one G3 and eight G1 stakes races, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (2012), Santa Anita Oaks (2013), Breeders’ Cup Distaff (2013), Zenyatta Stakes (2013 & 2014), and Adoration Stakes (2015) among others. To date she has amassed $4,256,600 in earnings, of which $888,300 was earned this year. Beholder is currently ranked 9th in the standings for earnings in 2015, right behind Shared Belief, who’s sire, Candy Ride, remains the Pacific Classic track record holder.

Following Saturday’s win, connections of the mare expressed their willingness to take on Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, even suggesting a match race between horse racing’s king and queen. For now, it appears the two are bound to meet at Keeneland this October in the Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Midnight Storm and Bayern finished last and second to last, respectively.

Payouts for the race:
Beholder —— $6.00 win, $4.60 place, $2.80 show
Catch a Flight —————- $6.80 place, $4.20 show
Red Vine  ————————————- $3.40 show

$1 Trifecta → $90.30

Embellish The Lace Wires Alabama Stakes

7-1 shot Embellish The Lace set out against a field of seven to win the the Gr.1 Alabama Stakes in wire to wire fashion this past Saturday at Saratoga.

Besting favorite Curalina and Kentucky Oaks winner Lovely Maria, Embellish The Lace galloped to a 1 ¼-length victory with Javier Castellano in the irons. Setting modest fractions throughout (the half in :48.38), Embellish The Lace was stalked by Curalina and Lovely Maria until both fillies lost their positioning to I’m a Chatterbox, who took over second on the stretch and finished behind the winner. Pletcher-trained Curalina finished third, while the Jones-trained filly Lovely Maria dropped back to sixth, just in front of Sweetgrass—seventh and last.

The three-year-old filly, by Super Saver, last ran ninth to Include Betty in the Gr.1 Mother Goose Stakes, held in June at Belmont Park. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, Embellish The Lace was purchased by current owners Alex and JoAnn Lieblong for $320,000 at the Keeneland September Yealing Sale in 2013. To date, she has five career starts and $413,340 in earnings. This is her second graded stakes attempt and first Gr.1 victory.

Payouts for the race:
Embellish The Lace —— $14.00 win, $8.00 place, $4.60 show
I’m a Chatterbox ——————– $5.90 place, $3.50 show
Curalina  —————————————– $2.50 show

$2 Trifecta → $200.00

Appealing Tale Holds Off Wild Dude

Last month’s runner-up in the Gr.2 San Diego Handicap, Appealing Tale came back strong to win the Gr.2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at Del Mar on Saturday, August 22nd.

The Peter Miller trained gelding was quick to take the lead and did not look back, setting fractions :23.34, :45.62, and 1:09.28, finishing the seven furlong race in 1:21.40.

Joe Talamo was aboard for the ride on the five-year-old son of Tale of the Cat, piloting him to a half-length victory in a field of four. Runner-up Wild Dude, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer and ridden by Flavien Prat, settled for second with a 3 ½-length advantage over Indexical, who finished third. Kobe’s Back finished fourth and last, 9 ½-lengths behind winner Appealing Tale.

The Pat O’Brien Stakes marks Appealing Tale’s twenty-fourth career start since his debut at Hollywood Park in November of 2012. To date he has five wins, six seconds, six thirds, and three fourths for a total of $533,222 in earnings. This is the gelding’s first graded stakes win for owners Gary and Cecil Barber.

American Pharoah To Run In Travers

The question of whether or not American Pharoah would run in the Travers has long awaited an answer. Well, wait no more! Connections of the Triple Crown winner have confirmed the colt will be running in the Gr.1  1 ¼-mile race, commonly regarded as the mid-summer derby.

After working seven furlongs in 1:23.20 (handily) on Sunday morning, Bob Baffert told the media, “We’ve had Saratoga on double-secret alert,” regarding if or if not the colt would be making the cross-country trip. “We’re pretty positive,” Baffert stated. “If I see something I don’t like, you never know, these horses can change.”

As for the rest of Team Pharoah, Jimmy Barnes told EverythingEq, “He’s doing super good, I couldn’t imagine him not going. My bags are packed and I’m ready to go!”

At this moment, the Travers field looks to be taking good shape with contenders looking to take a shot at the champion three-year-old. Probables for the field include Frosted, Upstart, Keen Ice, Mr. Z and the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red.

Part of the Breeders’ Cup Win and You’re In series, the Travers will be broadcast on NBC and NBCSN this Saturday, August 29th. Be sure to tune in for live coverage of the action.

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