By Alan Carasso
It has been nearly two years since Beholder (Henny Hughes) has tasted defeat, and that streak is not expected to be snapped when she makes a much-anticipated 6-year-old debut in Sunday's GIII Adoration S. at Santa Anita.
Victorious in 10 of her last 11 trips to the post and 15 of 20 lifetime, the B. Wayne Hughes colorbearer, fourth in the GI Ogden Phipps S. in June 2014, has since bagged six straight, including a 1 1/4-length success in this event last term. The seven-length winner of the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. at Del Mar, she crushed stablemate Catch a Flight (Arg) (Giant's Causeway) in the GI TVG Pacific Classic Aug. 22 and annexed a third renewal of the GI Zenyatta S. Sept. 26. Forced to miss a date in the gate with American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic owing to illness, she's been sportingly kept in training and is just this side of a mortal lock here.
Beholder has recorded Beyer Speed Figures better than the next fastest in the field in no fewer than 16 of her career starts, but someone has to be second and Sheer Pleasure (Birdonthewire) looks best equipped to round out about a $5 exacta. A dual black-type winner in California-bred company at three in 2015, the dark bay filly was a solid allowance runner-up in an open two-turn allowance over this track Mar. 5 and proved a half-length superior to Cal-bred foes in the Mar. 27 Dream of Summer S. Mar. 27.
All Star Bub (Midshipman) has just three wins to her credit, but also six minor placings and can pick up some graded black-type. The chestnut overcame a slow pace to win a second-level allowance over this track and distance Feb. 25 and exits an even fourth in a one-mile grass allowance Apr. 7.
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