Beholder back in training

Beholder, the two-time champion who was fourth in the $1 million Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park on June 7, has resumed light training after recovering from a pastern injury.

Trainer Richard Mandella said Beholder was ponied over the weekend, her first significant exercise in a month.
“In a couple of days, she’ll start galloping,” he said.

Owned by B. Wayne Hughes, Beholder finished a length behind winner Close Hatches in the Phipps Stakes. She emerged from the race with a pastern injury that Mandella assumed occurred when she was struck by the hoof of a rival.

“It’s almost healed,” Mandella said. “It’s nothing that we can’t work with.”

The injury is likely to cost Beholder a chance to start in the $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes on Aug. 2, the top race for fillies and mares at Del Mar.

“I think that’s too quick,” Mandella said. “She missed a month of training.”

Beholder has won 9 of 14 starts and earned $3,188,300. By Henny Hughes, Beholder was the champion 2-year-old filly of 2012 and champion 3-year-old filly of 2013.