Beholder returns in Torrey Pines

Beholder (orange hat) hasn’t been seen in competition since finishing second to Princess of Sylmar in the Kentucky Oaks (Churchill Downs/Reed Palmer Photography)

Beholder, honored as the champion two-year-old filly of 2012, will make her
return to competition on Sunday at Del Mar against only five rivals in the
$100,000
Torrey Pines on the Polytrack. The one-mile contest, which gets the
stakes action underway at the seaside track, shares the card with two divisions
of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby as well as the $90,000
Adoration for distaffers.

Beholder hasn’t raced since just missing in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill
Downs on May 3. The Henny Hughes miss had taken a two-length lead in the stretch
of the nine-furlong affair, but was caught by Princess of Sylmar and had to
settle for second on the wire.

“She came out of it fine, but she had a tough time with the
excitement there, so I gave her a little rest,” trainer Richard Mandella
explained the near four-month break. “I’d put her
through a pretty tough task to go to the Kentucky Oaks, knowing that it (Derby
week and race-day excitement) wouldn’t be easy for her mentally.

“She did the
best she could, and I couldn’t have been prouder of her unless she’d have won
the race. And she almost won.”

Beholder (rail) was just caught by Executiveprivilege in last year’s Del Mar Debutante (Benoit Photos)

The bay miss has picked a good track to begin her return, as she broke her
maiden at Del Mar last year by 3 1/4 lengths. Next out, Beholder lost in a
heartbreaking photo, just run down on the wire by Executiveprivilege in the Del
Mar Debutante to finish second by a nose.

“Usually I talk myself down after a race so that if I’m surprised it’s for
the good, not the bad,” Mandella admitted, speaking of the Debutante. “The other
filly was so far outside, I really thought (Beholder) won and we all celebrated
until somebody grabbed my coattail and said, ‘You better look at it again.'”

Gary Stevens will take over piloting duties on Beholder, who previously had
only ever been ridden by Garrett Gomez.

Nearly all of Beholder’s rivals in the Torrey Pines are turf runners, which
may not factor considering the race is conducted over the synthetic Polytrack.
Miss Empire, though, actually owns some experience over the all-weather surface,
having finishing third in the Best Pal against the boys last year prior to a
fourth-placing in the Del Mar Debutante.

The Empire Maker filly filled the runner-up spot in the grassy Sandy Blue
Handicap most recently while making just her second start as a sophomore, and
gets Edwin Maldonado back in the saddle for trainer Peter Miller.