beholder mile | Horse Racing Free Tips

Envoutante Ships In For Beholder Mile

Four of the previous five winners of the GI Beholder Mile were either already in possession of an Eclipse Award or would go on to become a champion later in their career. The Ken McPeek-conditioned 2020 champion 3-year-old filly Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) made light work of last year's renewal and the barn will look to defend their title this weekend with Walking L Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys Farm's Envoutante (Uncle Mo).

Same as she did during her 3-year-old season in 2020, the dark bay was kept busy with seven starts last term, good for a record of 2-1-2. Runner-up to Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the GI La Troienne S. on the GI Kentucky Derby undercard Apr. 30, Envoutante was the easy winner of the Shawnee S. at Churchill in late May, then was third to Letruska (Super Saver) after being somewhat conservatively ridden in the GII Fleur de Lis S. the following month. Third to Shedaresthedevil in Churchill's GIII Locust Grove S. Sept. 18, she beat just one home when fifth in the GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland Oct. 10, but overwhelmed her rivals to successfully defend her GII Falls City S. title, defeating Bonny South (Munnings) by the same six-length margin as she did 12 months prior.

As Time Goes By (American Pharoah) has the home field advantage as she tries to become the second top-level dirt scorer for her sire. Clearly runner-up in last year's race, the homebred daughter of the outstanding Take Charge Lady (Dehere) was successful no fewer than four times at the graded level, annexing the GII Santa Margarita S. (by 9 1/4 lengths) in and the GII Santa Maria S. in the springtime, the GIII Bayakoa S. in December and a latest 13 1/2-length romp in the GIII La Canada S. on New Year's Day.

While the Beholder looks all over a two-horse affair, the in-form Miss Bigly (Gemologist) could be the one to pick up a valuable Grade I placing. Second to Envoutante in the Shawnee, the 6-year-old was second in the Jan. 8 Pippin S. at Oaklawn and most recently annexed that track's GIII Bayakoa S. Feb. 12.

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Second To Swiss Skydiver Last Out, As Time Goes By Headlines Five-Horse Field In Santa Margarita

Fresh off of a second place finish to the mighty Swiss Skydiver, As Time Goes By looms the horse to beat going a mile and one eighth in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita. First run in 1935, the prestigious Santa Margarita, which was not offered last year due to a cessation of racing caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has attracted a field of five older fillies and mares for what will be its 83rd running.

Trained by Bob Baffert, As Time Goes By was beaten 2 ¾ lengths by Swiss Skydiver, last year's Eclipse Champion Dirt Female, in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile in a very impressive effort. A nine-length first condition allowance winner going one mile two starts back on Jan. 17, As Time Goes By finished strongly in the Beholder Mile at odds of 9-5 and should be ready for her first test at a mile and one eighth.

Owned by Michael Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith, As Time Goes By, a 4-year-old daughter of 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of the multiple Grade 1 stakes winning Dehere mare Take Charge Lady, is 5-2-2-1 and is seeking her first stakes victory.

A two-time graded stakes winner, Simon Callaghan's Harvest Moon pressed the early pace and tired late to finish fourth, beaten seven lengths by Swiss Skydiver in the Beholder Mile and will be ridden for the seventh consecutive time by leading man Flavien Prat.

A close fourth two starts back to super mare Monomoy Girl in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff Nov. 7 at Keeneland, Harvest Moon, a 4-year-old filly by Uncle Mo out of the Shamardal mare Qaraaba, was bred by Alice Bamford and is owned by Bamford and Michael Tabor. With four wins from seven starts, Harvest Moon will try a mile and one eighth for the second time.

THE GRADE II SANTA MARGARITA STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 11 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

Pharoah's Heart—Umberto Rispoli—120
As Time Goes By—Mike Smith—120
This Tea—Kent Desormeaux–120
Harvest Moon—Flavien Prat—122
Clockstrikestwelve—Abel Cedillo–120

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The Week in Review: Time to Bring Back Down-the-Hill Turf Sprints at Santa Anita

There was a rare and welcome sight Saturday at Santa Anita when the field of five scampered across the down-the-hill turf course to begin the 1 1/2-mile GIII San Luis Rey S. There were no incidents in a perfectly clean race where no one was hurt. So why can't the course also be used for what were iconic 6 1/2-furlong downhill grass races?

They haven't carded a turf sprint on that course since a horse named Arms Runner (Overdriven) broke down and had to be euthanized in the running of the GIII San Simeon S. Mar. 31, 2019. La Sardane (Fr) (Kingsala) fell over Arms Runner, but was not seriously injured. The accident came at the height of the controversy that swirled over Santa Anita at a time when an unusually high number of horses had broken down. There was nothing to suggest that the downhill races were more dangerous than normal races, but management was in a position where it couldn't afford to take any chances.

The future of these races looked bleak when Santa Anita recently installed a chute on the main course that can accommodate six and 6 1/2-furlong grass races. But it appears that the races, a favorite of fans, gamblers and horsemen, will be back soon. The Stronach Group Chief Operating Officer Aidan Butler said management is close to giving the green light for a return of the downhill sprints.

“We've always wanted to bring them back,” Butler said. “I've gone on the record a couple of times talking about how special those races are. I get a text at least every other day from a trainer or owner informing me of why it was such a stupid idea to end those races. I am really hopeful we will be getting them back at some point.”

In the nearly two years since the 2019 San Simeon, The Stronach Group has looked at the data and found that the downhill races were just as safe as normal races.

“We are all comfortable that those races are as safe as any races,” Butler said. “When the race was last run there was a pretty nasty spill. We were a little gun shy. We've been on a good run on safety. Now, it's just a matter of timing. When we feel the perfect time has come, we'll start running them again. It would be a nice option to be able to run those races again and I think we will when every single one of us is comfortable with it.”

Caution is fine, but sometimes you can be too cautious. These races can't come back soon enough.

Another Strong Showing From a California Shipper

The California-based 3-year-olds lost a star Saturday when it was announced that Life Is Good (Into Mischief) had suffered what appears to be a minor injury that will keep him out of the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and the GI Kentucky Derby. He has a small chip in his left hind ankle and will undergo surgery on Friday at the Rood & Riddle clinic in Kentucky.

(How would you like to own some of those tickets on Life Is Good in the Derby Future at 2-1? Worst bet ever).

But even with that loss, the California group is deep and very well could win another Derby.

A week after Santa Anita shippers Concert Tour (Street Sense) and Hozier (Pioneerof the Nile) ran one-two in the GII Rebel S., the West was best again when Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) won the GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby Saturday at Fair Grounds. On paper, he looked no better than the third or fourth best colt in California, but had no problem defeating a solid group of opponents. Showing more speed than normal, he led most of the way on his way to a two-length win.

On Saturday, the Baffert-trained Spielberg (Union Rags) will try to give the Californians another out-of-town win in the GI Curlin Florida Derby.

Largely because of Bob Baffert, the California group has had a nice run in Louisville. Five of the last seven Derbies have been won by California-based trainers. That may soon be six of the last eight.

The Problem With Whipping Penalties

Jockey Robby Albarado was handed a three-day suspension last week by the Santa Anita stewards for violating the whipping rules when riding Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the GI Beholder Mile. Albarado hit his mount just once, but when he did so, he used the traditional overhanded method, which is no longer allowed in California. On the same day that the Albarado suspension came out, Flavien Prat was fined $500 for whip violations and Juan Hernandez was handed a $1,000 fine.

With the fines and suspensions, the stewards are obviously trying to deter riders from violating the whipping rules, which, in California, are the most restrictive in the nation. But they may be fighting a losing battle. In some races, the incentive to use the whip is just too great.

Take the case of Albarado. Being that he is someone who rarely rides in California, it's possible that he was unaware of the rule. Or it could have been a matter of weighing the punishment versus the crime. The Beholder Mile was a Grade I race and the winner's share of the purse was $180,000. That means that a victory put $18,000 in Albarado's pocket. If Albarado, or any jockey, feels they need to go to the whip in order to secure a victory, what's stopping them from doing so? There's just too much temptation to go to the whip when that may mean the difference between a win and a loss. At least that's the case when the likely fine or suspension amounts to a minor penalty or a few hundred dollars and the stewards have shown no signs of disqualifying a horse because of the way it was whipped.

Would a jockey locked in battle in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, where a win means about $400,000 for the rider, really put away his whip in the stretch over concerns of a three-day suspension or a $1,000 fine? That's hard to imagine.

Short of taking the whips away from the riders all together, which isn't going to happen any time soon, there is this inherent flaw in the system and no easy answers as for how to deal with it.

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Swiss Skydiver Doesn’t ‘Miss’ A Beat In Beholder Mile

After a disappointing effort when last seen in the Nov. 7 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil)returned to the brilliant form that earned her an Eclipse Award last season with a good-looking score in her seasonal bow Saturday at Santa Anita in the GI Beholder Mile. It was her second win from as many starts in Arcadia, having captured last term's GII Santa Anita Oaks.

Away in good order from her rail draw, the 7-5 chalk secured a comfortable position ina ground-saving fourth as Golden Principal (Constitution) hustled up to take control with Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo) keeping her honest in second through a :23.14 opening quarter. Inching up inside of Harvest Moon as the half-mile went in :46.80, the chestnut patiently awaited racing room on the backstretch run and split the top two to make a race of it turning for home. Pouncing on Golden Principal in early stretch, Swiss Skydiver “waved goodbye,” as announcer Frank Mirahmadi said, powering clear under a hand ride from Robby Albarado to win as she pleased by 2 3/4 lengths. The regally bred As Time Goes By (American Pharoah–Take Charge Lady) took the overland route to be second and her pacesetting stablemate Golden Principal held third.

“Pretty much up the backside, every point I felt like she was right there with me the whole way,” Albarado said. “She was taking deep breaths around there. When I finally gave her some room there she took off. It was all her, I was just a passenger…I look forward for the rest of the year with her.”
“Yes, she met expectations, but you never know,” said trainer Ken McPeek, who has been at Santa Anita since Swiss Skydiver shipped in from her Gulfstream Park base Tuesday. “The distance for me was a little bit of a worry because of the run to the first turn. But Robby does know her so well, to get her in :12s, just get her into a nice rhythm and let her make her run. You can't force anything with her, and if you go too fast early, she will wilt a little bit.”

Swiss Skydiver's won five of her 10 starts in her Eclipse-winning sophomore season, all at different racetracks. Her first victory of the season came in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks last March and followed suit with a win in Oaklawn's GIII Fantasy S. in May. Wiring the Santa Anita Oaks last June, the $35,000 KEESEP buy took on males for the first time in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. in July and finished a respectable second to Art Collector (Bernardini).

Cruising home to a clear-cut victory in Saratoga's prestigious GI Alabama S. last August, Swiss Skydiver checked in second to Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the GI Kentucky Oaks Sept. 4. Trainer Kenny McPeek was confident enough to send his star filly on to the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3 and she rewarded his and owner Peter Callahan's faith with a gritty score of GI Kentucky Derby winner and now Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief). Installed as the second choice in the Distaff at Keeneland, Swiss Skydiver stumbled at the start and never really got into the race, finishing seventh to two-time champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar).

Pedigree Notes:

Swiss Skydiver completed a cross-country graded double for her young sire Daredevil, following Shedaresthedevil's win in the GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn. Those two fillies from the new Lane's End sire's first crop are his only two Grade I/graded winners thus far and are two of five black-type winners for the stallion, who recently returned to Kentucky after spending a year in Turkey. Swiss Skydiver is also one of 20 graded victors and 45 black-type scorers out of a daughter of Johannesburg.

The winner's dam Expo Gold brought just $13,000 from Los Santos Customs her first time through the Keeneland November ring in 2017, carrying Swiss Skydiver's full-brother. The resulting colt, the now 3-year-old Inspector General, fetched just $4,000 from Southern Racing at Keeneland September the following year. Expo Gold's next auction appearance was at the 2019 CTBA January Mixed Sale, selling to Blue Chip Thoroughbreds for $15,000 in foal to Danzing Candy. She produced that colt the following April and failed to get back in foal to that California stallion. The 13-year-old mare returned to the Keeneland November ring last term, but this time she summoned $950,000 from Hunter Valley Farm, while carrying a foal from the first crop of GI Travers S. winner Catholic Boy. Two of her daughters sold at the same auction with her first foal Is It Gold (Indygo Shiner) bringing $230,000 from Titletown Racing Stables in foal to Nyquist; and her 2016 foal Miss Hot Legs (Verrazano) hammering for $500,000 to Coteau Grove Farms.

Saturday, Santa Anita
BEHOLDER MILE S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 3-13, 4yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:36.18, ft.
1–SWISS SKYDIVER, 124, f, 4, by Daredevil
                1st Dam: Expo Gold, by Johannesburg
                2nd Dam: Clouds of Gold, by Strike the Gold
                3rd Dam: Cloudy Colors, by Personal Flag
($35,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Peter J. Callahan; B-WinStar Farm,
LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Robby Albarado. $180,000.
Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo Filly, 13-7-3-1, $2,025,480. *1/2 to
Miss Hot Legs (Verrazano), SP, $151,620. Werk Nick Rating: A.
   Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–As Time Goes By, 120, f, 4, by American Pharoah
                1st Dam: Take Charge Lady (Broodmare Of The Year,
                                MGISW, $2,480,377), by Dehere
                2nd Dam: Felicita, by Rubiano
                3rd Dam: Grand Bonheur, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
O-Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale
& Chelston (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $60,000.
3–Golden Principal, 120, f, 4, by Constitution
                1st Dam: Gold D' Medaglia, by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Lemon Twist, by Seeking the Gold
                3rd Dam: Danzig Island, by Danzig
($35,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo '19 OBSAPR).
O-Karl Watson, Michael Pegram & Paul Weitman; B-CESA Farm
(FL); T-Bob Baffert. $36,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 1.40, 1.90, 7.20.
Also Ran: Harvest Moon, This Tea, Clockstrikestwelve, Miss Stormy D. Scratched: Sanenus (Chi).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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