Santa Anita Park, which showcased champions California Chrome, Nyquist, Runhappy and Songbird at its 2016 Winter Meet, hopes to focus on that same theme when it begins its 41-day Spring Meet on Thursday, May 5, two days before the 142nd Kentucky Derby, which fans can watch and wager on at The Great Race Place when the first jewel in racing’s Triple Crown is run next Saturday, May 7.

The reign of champions is expected to continue when three-time Eclipse Award winner Beholder, the gift that keeps on giving, begins her six-year-old campaign in the Grade III Adoration Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Sunday, May 8.

The daughter of Henny Hughes owned by B. Wayne Hughes and trained by Richard Mandella was a champion at two, three and five, and will be making her first start since winning the Grade I Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita for the third time last Sept. 26. Beholder is a remarkable 11 for 12 in her career at Santa Anita and 15 for 20 overall, with earnings of $4,436,600.

Beholder worked a mile in company Friday under Janeen Painter in 1:40 flat, with fractions of 26, 38.60, 51 and 1:28.40. Stablemate Atypique went seven furlongs in 1:29.40.

“I was happy. She looked good. It went a little slow the first part but that was because of a traffic jam,” said Hughes, on hand from his Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky. “The second half was perfect.”

Added Mandella: “It was a nice, steady mile. She went very good and everything’s in good shape.”

Hughes plans to head back to Kentucky Sunday and attend the Kentucky Derby a week from tomorrow. “Then we’ll fly home (in a private jet) the next day and bring Gary Stevens with us, so that he has to show up (laughing aloud). We’ll have him locked in the plane.”

Stevens, the regular rider of Beholder, seeks his fourth triumph in the Run for the Roses when he rides Mor Spirit in the mile and a quarter classic.

Source: Santa Anita Park

