Beholder Mile (Grade 1)- $400.000 Mile
SA- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile on the Dirt
June 2, 2018

Her name may be Chase, but she was doing the chasing in the stretch, and in the nick of time, this Mr Creepy filly was able to get by Queenwood and pulled off the big win. Prior to the race, this seemed like it would be a showdown between Mb Stables and Smokey Stover, and while their horses did claim the four positions after Chase, it makes the big winner of the day D J C Racing Stables. It is the second career win in the stake for the trainer, having won the 2015 race known then as the Vanity Stakes, which was the last time the race was run at nine furlongs. Aboard the winner was A A Gallardo, getting his first such win. Congratulations to them! The time of the race was 1:35.47. Let’s take a look!

(1/4 Mile- :23.46)- Toleration, the post time favorite from Mb Stables, wastes no time jumping out to the lead. To her inside would be Queenwood, from Smokey Stover, and you had to wonder if these two were going to go at each other hard all the way around the track as they seemed to be the top two in the field. Another length or so back would be Queenwood’s stablemate, Dreamin Of Lys. To her outside, would be Chase, looking to get her signature win of a good career to this point for trainer D J C Racing Stables. Gherdaiya (Chili King Stables) was fifth on the rail, and Forgotten Past (Mb Stables) was to her outside. Trailing with five lengths to make up was the longshot Shoot The Moon, from TwinTowersRacing.

(½ Mile- :46.92)- The second quarter goes in exactly the same time as the first, :23.46 seconds, leading to the :46.92 half mile. On the front end, Toleration and Queenwood were side by side for the lead, and began to open up now on the rest of the field. The advantage was two and half lengths over Chase and Dreamin Of Lys, who were also running side by side. Gherdaiya came off the rail, looking for room to go three wide, and Shoot The Moon began to push forward a little as well. Forgotten Past now trailed, and was six lengths back.

(Top Of Stretch, 1.7F To Go)- Heading into the turn, it was still Toleration and Queenwood, but as they made their way around it, Toleration was no longer able to keep up with Queenwood, who was now happy to open up a lead of about a length and a half. With Toleration beginning to fade, Chase came running into the picture from the outside and prepared to make the pass for second, and set her sights on the leader. Dreamin Of Lys was not able to follow that move after running with Chase most of the way to this point. Gherdaiya looked to be coming up empty at the top of the stretch, and Shoot The Moon could not keep some momentum that she may have been generating earlier. Forgotten Past looked poised to run well on the rail and pass those who were leg weary.

(Finish- 1:35.47)- In the stretch, it was anyone’s guess as to who would win out. Chase had caught Queenwood with a furlong to go, and it seemed like the race was going to be hers at that point, but then Queenwood found a little more energy, responding well. It then looked like she may hang on after all. In the closing moments, Chase had an answer for that, and pushed with more authority, and at the wire, she wins in what was quite an exciting stretch battle to watch. Behind them, Dreamin Of Lys was at her best late to get up for third but was never a threat to the top two. Fourth goes to Forgotten Past, who ran well on the rail, and perhaps this race was not long enough for her. Toleration disappoints many as she fades to fifth. Shoot The Moon and Gherdaiya round out the running order, and neither were a threat in this race.

About The Winner- Chase, trained by D J C Racing Stables, and ridden to victory by A A Gallardo, is a four year old filly by Mr Creepy, and is out of Chocolate Mocha. She was bred in New York as a third quarter two year old by D J C Racing Stables, the only trainer for which she has ever known. Congratulations to the connections! The win is her fifth in 16 races, her third stake win, and first graded win. Her career earnings are now $531.930.

Track: Fast
Time: :23²  :46⁴  1:10²  1:35²

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 3 – 4 Paid 8.80
$1 Trifecta: 3 – 4 – 2 Paid 42.40

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES