Morning line favorite Beholder becomes the first female thoroughbred to win the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic, Del Mar’s richest and most prestigious race, Saturday.
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Trainer Richard Mandella saddled both the victor, a 2-1 favorite who paid $6.00, as well as runner-up Catch a Flight, who finished well back.
Four other females have run in the Pacific Classic, with none finishing higher than Paseana’s fifth place in 1992.
“This is a big step up, but it’s also a good opportunity for him and he deserves this shot”, said Vickers, who doesn’t expect Clement to make the trip west for today’s race.
But Beholder’s seven-length victory in the Grade I Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on August 1 against seven overmatched distaffers doesn’t begin to compare to the show she put on in the Grade I Pacific Classic, accelerating around the far turn without Stevens even asking her and then drawing off to the second largest victory in the race’s history.
“I’ve felt some good ones, but nothing like that”, Stevens said as he watched the replay from the winner’s circle, his third trip there for the Pacific Classic. “She’s gone”, Stevens said.
Beholder’s stablemate Catch a Flight got up for second and Red Vine was a length back in third. When she hit her right lead, she just took off. I never went to my stick, only to flag her from getting too close to the rail. “Usually there’s a matter of nerves involved in these races but she caused me to have a normal heart rate going in there”.
“I screamed louder than I ever have”, he said.
Mandella, winning the race for the fourth time, indicated Beholder is more likely to go to the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, a race she won in 2013, but did not rule out a tilt at the Classic.
The long-range plan for Beholder includes the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff on October 30 at Keeneland.
The Hall of Fame jockey has some experience aboard females in races against males.
Baffert had previously indicated Bayern needed a competitive race following out-of-the-money runs in the Churchill Downs Stakes (gr. II) and the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I), and the San Diego may have provided that.
Said owner B. Wayne Hughes: “She’s the first horse who has made me feel lucky to be her owner”.
“If she doesn’t win, she’s still going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer with what she’s accomplished, the two championships and everything”, he said.
“Man, probably two of the greatest Pacific Classics of all-time, amazing”, Gary Mandella said. “She just turned on the afterburners. But I’ve got a lot of confidence in her”.
Of course the conversation turned immediately to what Beholder’s next race might be and whether Mandella would consider a run against Triple Crown victor American Pharoah in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
A decision is anticipated Sunday, after American Pharoah’s scheduled morning workout at Del Mar in California.
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Bob Baffert-trained grade I winners Bayern (Rafael Bejarano, post 3) and Hoppertunity (Martin Garcia, post 8)-third and fourth, respectively, in the San Diego-also enter for the Pacific Classic. “Don’t ask me”, he said.
