Beholder, Close Hatches work in differing styles

ELMONT, N.Y. – Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals between the New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings isn’t the only sporting event that will pit the best of the East against the best of the West on Saturday. The other will be the much-anticipated rematch between the pride of California, Beholder, and her New York-based rivals, Close Hatches and Princess of Sylmar, in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

Beholder, who easily defeated Close Hatches and Princess of Sylmar over her home base at Santa Anita last fall in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, has traveled to the East Coast for the first time in her career for the 1 1/16-mile Ogden Phipps. She was given her first opportunity to really stretch her legs over the vast and somewhat quirky Belmont oval Monday, when breezing an easy half-mile in 50.01 seconds with regular rider Gary Stevens aboard before galloping out five-eighths in 1:02.79.

Although her final clocking paled in comparison to the half-mile drill turned in by Close Hatches earlier Monday, it was exactly what Stevens and trainer Richard Mandella were looking for.

“It was just kind of a schooling event for her this morning,” Stevens said. “She had her main work out there last week, a strong mile. Richard wasn’t looking for anything fast. He said, ‘Make her focus through the finish and go out another eighth of a mile,’ which she did. I’ve never worked her by herself. I’ve always had a target out in front, and when she works like that, she’s like a cat waiting to pounce on a mouse.”

Stevens said he was not concerned that Beholder will race over the Belmont surface for the first time in the Ogden Phipps.

“I’ve been calling that track out there [Santa Anita] ‘Little Sandy’ since the Breeders’ Cup,” quipped Stevens. “And in the last three weeks, it’s gotten extremely deep and tough to get through. She gets over anything, and she got over this track extremely well this morning.”

Mandella echoed those sentiments a short while later.

“As a trainer, you always worry about something,” Mandella said. “But I worry less with her about things like that than with any other horse. Today was just a little eye opener for her, to let her look around and see things. I couldn’t be any prouder of my mare, and this is going to be a heck of a race on a great stage. I praise the New York Racing Association for putting together a day like this. It’s not only good for New York racing, it’s good for all racing in general.”

Close Hatches deceivingly quick

Working just before Beholder was Close Hatches, the Grade 1 Apple Blossom winner, who zipped along four furlongs in 47.13 under exercise rider Rodolphe Brisset. She galloped out five furlongs in 59.89 seconds and six furlongs in 1:13.72.

“She worked as good as she did before the Breeders’ Cup,” said Brisset, referring to last year’s Distaff, in which Close Hatches finished second to Beholder at Santa Anita. “That was one of her Royal Delta moves today.”

Trainer Bill Mott also was pleased with what he saw from Close Hatches, who has won 7 of 10 career starts.

“It doesn’t look like she’s doing much,” Mott said. “She went along in 47, and if you were watching her, you’d think she was going in 49.”

On Sunday, four-time Grade 1 winner Princess of Sylmar put in her final breeze for the Phipps, going four furlongs in 49.02 seconds over the Belmont training track in company with Divine Energy. Todd Pletcher, the trainer of Princess of Sylmar, said he is quite pleased with how his filly is doing leading up to the race, while acknowledging the degree of difficulty.

“I have a lot of respect for how good Beholder is, how good Close Hatches is,” Pletcher said. “I’m excited about the race. I’m very pleased with how the filly is doing. At the same time, it’s a difficult task.”

In addition to the big three, others pointing to the race include My Wandy’s Girl, the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie winner, and Classic Point, a recent allowance winner for Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens. The racing office is hoping to get Belle Gallantey and/or Antipathy, the 1-2 finishers in an allowance race here May 1.

– additional reporting by David Grening