Brawl Dead End capturing the 2016 Gr-1 Vanity

Beholder Mile (Grade 1)- $400.000 Purse
SA- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile on the Dirt
June 3, 2017

Brawl Dead End looks to defend her title as the reigning champion of the Beholder Mile, a Grade 1 event, takes place for the 12th time. Can she become the first horse to ever win this race two times in a row, or does her trainer really have a better entry in this race? There are only five in this field, but four of them have accomplished quite a bit in their careers, and they get to meet that three year old up and comer with the weight advantage. Mb Stables, the trainer of both Brawl Dead End and Retaliator has had good success in this race, having won two of the last three editions of the race. He is the only trainer with more then one win in the race. Now, without any further adieu, here is the field!

#1- Princess Legion (John Henry, ridden by T C Baze)- This successful filly with just shy of $400.000 in career earnings has shown up in a lot of big races, including the Personal Ensign (Grade 1), and Zenyatta (Grade 1). However, when it comes to actually winning, the $150.000 Grade 3 is her biggest claim to fame, unless you want to include a $200.000 statebred over that. At any rate, she is still looking for her signature victory, in my opinion. John Henry picked her up in private sales for $150.000 in November, and since then sale, she is on a three-race second place streak. We’ll see if she can snap that with a “W”.

#2- Saint Sophia (Blushing Meadows, ridden by J R Velazquez)- This is the only three year old in the field, and that means she will have the benefit of a three point weight advantage. She’ll probably need it, because she is taking a big leap forward in her career right here. She has never run in a stake, and the biggest race she has been in is a N1X allowance at SA. Her biggest win is what she comes off of, which was her first sprint after a bunch of mile or more races. Clearly, the best part of her chances here comes behind the scenes in something the trainer knows that is not in the past performances.

#3- House Danger (Jive Inc, ridden by F Prat)- Only recently have we seen this filly in graded stakes, but she has a pretty impressive career record with seven wins in 13 career starts. Plus, she has only failed to hit the board in two starts. She has three ungraded wins to her credit, though none have been for more then a $60.000 purse. After back to back ungraded victories, House Danger made her graded debut in the Grade 2 Inside Information, and finished second. Her figures show that she has the speed, and I do like that she knows how to find a way to win a race.

#4- Retaliator (Mb Stables, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- While she has had a great career, she really made a name for herself across the game in mid-April when she topped Wicked Heat, Notarized Kate, and Way Up in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom at OP. Sure, it may have helped that she was a lower weight then several there, but it does not make the feat any less impressive. Prior to that, she was running well and winning NY-bred stakes, and came up second in the HOU Ladies Classic. She is on top of her game right now, and I feel that she is the one to beat. Overall, seven wins in eleven starts doesn’t lie, and this would be another big win for her.

#5- Brawl Dead End (Mb Stables, ridden by R J Albarado)- She was the winner of the 2016 race, when it was known as the Vanity Stakes. It would end up being the final win of the season for her, but probably moreso it appears as though she was raced lightly and conservatively. She would be able to run in the BC Distaff here last year, but did not make her presence felt in the race. This year, she has won two out of three, but has only taken part in open allowances. It would be a great story to see her win this race again, but in reality, she is not one of the favorites.

Prediction: 4-1-3-5

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES