Three-time champion and nine-time Grade I victress Beholder (Henny Hughes) will put her seven-race winning streak on the line in Saturday's new-look GI Vanity Mile S. at Santa Anita.
Forced to sit out last year's GI Breeders' Cup Classic with a fever, the Spendthrift colorbearer kicked off her 6-year-old campaign with a professional tally as the 1-20 favorite in Santa Anita's GIII Adoration S. May 8. She is listed as the 1-5 choice on the morning-line for the Vanity.
“I think he added up everything it would take to have another one as good as her, but Mr. Hughes, at this point in his life [at 82] looked at all the percentages and said, 'Why not just keep her running?,'” trainer Richard Mandella commented. “The chances of her producing something as good as she is are pretty tough. Think of all the yearlings, stallion fees and expenses. People tend to follow what works, so if it does, they might be inclined to keep them running. If it doesn't, they'll probably tell us how stupid we were for doing it.”
Last year's champion 3-year-old filly Stellar Wind (Curlin) represents a formidable threat for last term's GI TVG Pacific Classic heroine, making her first attempt since a game second-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland Oct. 30. The Hronis Racing colorbearer, drawn on the rail here, is a perfect three for three over this strip, including a dominating win in the 2015 GI Santa Anita Oaks. She covered five furlongs in :59 3/5 (4/50) in Arcadia May 28.
“We're starting her campaign relatively late with the Breeders' Cup in mind,” trainer John Sadler said. “She's been training very well for her first race back and we're looking forward to it.”
Jockey Victor Espinoza added, “I worked her three times now and she's ready, but it's her first race back so you never know how they will perform, especially against Beholder. We hope she runs well and we'll go from there.”
'TDN Rising Star' Taris (Flatter), a jaw-dropping winner of Churchill's GI Humana Distaff May 7, is expected to be scratched in favor of a showdown with the boys in the GI Triple Bend June 25.
The Vanity was shortened from 1 1/8 miles and will be contested for the first time at this distance since its inception at Hollywood Park in 1940.
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