BEHOLDER (Richard Mandella/Gary Stevens) became the first female to win the $1 million Pacific Classic, Del Mar’s richest and most prestigious race, after which owner B Wayne Hughes pointed the way to a possible clash with Triple Crown hero American Pharoah.
Not only was the two-time Breeders’ Cup winner pitched in against the boys for the first time but she was having a maiden attempt at 1m2f - yet she handled both with consummate ease as she exploded clear to post an eight-and-a-quarter length victory.
Beholder crossed the line, with Stevens sitting quietly, in 1m 59.77s to succeed where four other fillies and mares had failed and become the first of her sex to land the race in its 25-year history.
Having slammed her Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch rivals three weeks ago, the five-year-old produced another jaw-dropping performance in a contest that acts as a ‘win and you’re in’ race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Keeneland, which has been slated as the final race for American Pharoah.
Mandella, winning the race for the fourth time, indicated Beholder is more likely to go to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, a race she won in 2013, but did not rule out a tilt at the Classic.
“For one time, I'm speechless. I didn't expect she'd beat these colts up like this.” he said.
However, Hughes seemed more certain of intentions to test the mare against American Pharoah on October 31.
“I'd like to see American Pharoah show up at Santa Anita [sic] and have a match race,” he told the post-race media conference.
“She's the first horse who has made me feel lucky to be her owner. Call it pride.”
Beholder’s stablemate Catch a Flight got up for second and Red Vine was a length back in third. The struggles of Bayern continued as last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic winner again finished out of the frame.
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