When Gary Stevens trotted Beholder over to the winner’s circle a few minutes after taking the TVG Pacific Classic, he was told to take another turn in front of the crowded grandstand as track officials needed a moment to set up. “No problem,” said the Hall of Fame jockey, who then smiled and added, “She’s certainly not tired, that’s for sure.”
Minutes before, Beholder became the first female to win Del Mar Racetrack’s signature race of the summer season in a performance that brought a deafening roar from the overflow of spectators as she breezed down the stretch to win by a remarkable 8 1/4 lengths just as the sun peaked through the clouds on Saturday evening.
Without being asked by Stevens, the 5-year-old mare smoothly moved to the front on the far turn, split the pacemakers Bayern and Midnight Storm in a matter of several strides and opened a commanding lead entering the stretch. Under no pressure from her rider, Beholder widened on her nine male rivals and left them in the distance. “She was just going so easy,” Stevens said. “We went by Bayern like he was tired. Then when we straightened away I pushed the button and she went on with it. I’ve never felt anything like that on a racetrack before.”
It was the second largest winning margin in the 25-year history of the race, exceeded only by Game On Dude in 2013. Catch a Flight, stablemate of Beholder from the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, put in a solid late run under Flavien Prat, but finished a far second. “The filly – she’s just too much,” said Prat. Third went to Red Vine who was ridden by Joel Rosario. Fourth was Hoppertunity, followed by Imperative, Hard Aces, Class Leader, Bailoutbobby, Bayern and Midnight Storm.
Beholder, a two-time Eclipse Award champion and a daughter of Henny Hughes, was scoring her 14th win in 19 starts and ninth in her last ten races. Earlier this season, she won the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes. First place money of $600,000 on Saturday increased her career earnings to $4.25 million. Her time for the mile and one-quarter race was a fast 1:59.77.
“She is the first horse that makes me feel lucky to be the owner,” said B. Wayne Hughes. “I’ve never had that feeling before.”
Beholder was the fifth female Thoroughbred to run in the Pacific Classic, preceded by Paseana, fifth in 1992; Island Fashion, ninth in 2005; Amani, sixth in 2012, and Byrama, seventh in 2013.
For Mandella, Beholder provided his fourth win in the Pacific Classic. He won memorably in l996 with Dare And Go who upset Cigar, in 1997 with Gentlemen when he also saddled the place horse, Siphon, and Pleasantly Perfect in 2004.
The stakes win was the fourth of the meeting for rider Stevens and his third in the Pacific Classic. He now has 86 stakes wins at Del Mar, seventh most of all time.
Already having earned a spot in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland race course in Lexington, Ky., Oct. 31, Beholder also clinched a place in the Breeders’ Cup Classic should her connections choose so. The Pacific Classic was part of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge Series, which guarantees an expenses-paid berth in the mile and one-quarter contest.