Beholder Mile (Grade 1)- $400.000 Purse
SA- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile on the Dirt
March 16, 2019
A field of five heads to the gate for the 14th running of the Beholder Mile, and while we don’t have the big field, we will still have a quality field. One of the top older females still active in the game, Queenwood, looks for a little revenge on this race, as last year she lost by a nose, and finished second. She won’t be able to take on Chase again, as she’s retired now and has already produced two foals. Chase’s owner, D J C Racing Stables, will still field a great filly in this race who is on a winning streak. You look at this field, and you see horses in each spot that know how to get the job done. This will be a good battle, let’s meet our runners!
#1- Eros (Fractious, ridden by D Van Dyke)- With seven wins, and three more places in twelve career starts, there is no denying that Eros knows how to be successful. She has not always had a chance to showcase that at the highest of levels, and that’s why most of us have not heard much from her. She won a $25.000 claiming race at PRX in September, her fifth straight win at the time, and was claimed by Fractious. Fractious would have higher aspirations, and Eros has been very successful in that, winning the Grade 2 Bessarabian, before running second in each of the La Brea (Grade 1) and the Santa Monica (Grade 2).
#2- Too Much Wisdom (Mb Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- Like Eros, a very consistent horse. She has eight wins in fifteen starts, and throw in four more second place runs. She spent a lot of time running competitively with the NY-bred restriction, and picked up her first such stake win in the SAR Dew in August. Later in the year, she won the first of two consecutive Grade 3’s, the Rampart and then against very good opposition that included Queenwood and Diminuendo, in the HOU Ladies Classic. So much to like here, and she’ll be one to watch all year, regardless of how she finishes today.
#3- Starlite Run (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by M Franco)- Hot streaks are a thing that Starlite can also relate too, as she presently rides a five racing winning streak, which includes nosing out Eros at the wire in the Santa Monica last month. Her streak began in August at the Spa against NY-breds in an allowance, and she worked her way up. She had run against graded company as a two year old, but maybe was not quite ready for them, then (though she was still decent then). Most certainly, she is now. The trainer has won this race twice in the last four years.
#4- Queenwood (Smokey Stover, ridden by R Bejarano)- When I first looked at the horses entered for this race and prior to looking at post positions, I thought she would certainly be the favorite. She has name recognition, and the other three, as well as Karen, who we’ll get to, do not really have yet. They are all on the verge of it, and winning this race will be a signature win. So Queenwood is going to have her work cut out for her here as she looks to avenge last year’s second place in the Beholder. She has a proud history, but the others have better form. She was fourth, two lengths out in the HOU Ladies Classic in her last start, as Too Much Wisdom won. I still think she can win, but I think one of the others are going to grab this race.
#5- Karen (Wolfs Den, ridden by E A Roman)- She doesn’t have the gaudy hot streak or earnings to talk about as we can the others, but she has proven herself worthy, too. Nothing wrong with five wins in 13 career races, and she’s moved up from claimers to running well in, and winning CA-bred stake. Her last two races have not been as good, finishing off the board as she has tried to advance her career to the graded level.
Prediction: I really have to say, I love this field. Will be a great race and anyone can win. 3-2-1-4
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
