In a sure sign that Del Mar's summer season is up to full throttle, a quartet of high-profile horses with a combined six Eclipse Award championships to their names posted workouts at the seaside oval Sunday morning. Spendthrift Farm's three-time champion mare Beholder (Henny Hughes) continued her preparations for a start in July 30 GI Clement L. Hirsch S., drilling seven furlongs in 1:27 flat (2/3) over the local strip. Working in company with a maiden 3-year-old named Saltini (Bernardini) under customary pilot Gary Stevens, the bay was timed with internal splits of :25 3/5, :51 1/5, 1:03 and 1:14 4/5.
According to Del Mar clockers, Beholder started roughly four lengths behind her workmate and gradually edged closer, before coming through an opening along the rail and steadily drawing clear in the stretch.
“She's ready to run,” said Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. “We weren't trying to invent anything today. We just wanted to get some good wind in her and we did that. I think she's as good as she can be and everything went exactly right this morning.”
After going undefeated in five starts in 2015, Beholder has returned to action in 2016 with a pair of wins at Santa Anita in the May 8 GIII Adoration S. and the June 4 GI Vanity Mile S. Hronis Racing's Stellar Wind (Curlin), last year's champion sophomore filly and runner-up to Beholder in the Vanity, also worked Sunday, covering seven furlongs in 1:25 2/5 (1/3). The Virginia-bred is scheduled to meet that rival once again in the Clement Hirsch.
“She went the first three quarters in 1:11.40 and galloped out to a mile in 1:38.98,” trainer John Sadler said. “A very nice work, we're very pleased. She's doing beautifully, and this will be the second race off a comeback. We're not making any predictions because we know we're running against a great champion in Beholder.”
Also in action Sunday morning was unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro), who worked six furlongs in a bullet 1:11.40 (1/17) under regular rider Mike Smith. Conditioned by Jerry Hollendorfer for Fox Hill Farm, last year's champion 2-year-old filly is slated to travel to New York early this week ahead of a tilt in Saturday's GI Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga.
“[Smith] said he never sat down the entire six furlongs and she did it all on her own,” owner Rick Porter posted on the Fox Hill Farms Facebook page Sunday. “He said she galloped out on her own all the way around to the middle of the backside. He said she couldn't have done it easier. The track was heavier than usual, and he said she should have gotten a lot out of it.”
Reddam Racing's Nyquist (Uncle Mo) completed the barrage of star workers, traveling five furlongs in 1:02 (50/86) in preparation for an expected start in the GI Betfair.com Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park. The GI Kentucky Derby winner, who went in company with unraced stablemate Snappy Jack (Colonel John), will work one more time at Del Mar before departing for New Jersey.
“We're very happy,” said trainer Doug O'Neill. “He basically two-minute licked, galloped out good and looks well.”
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