Beholder off to Kentucky early next week

DEL MAR, Calif. – Trainer Richard Mandella made a quick trip to and from Kentucky this week for the sales, but he’ll be headed back soon to visit Beholder, who is scheduled to leave Mandella’s Santa Anita stable early next week to begin her new career as a broodmare at the Spendthrift Farm of owner B. Wayne Hughes.

Mandella joked that he was going to try and talk Hughes into “seeing if she could go to Florida in January,” referring to running her in the inaugural $12 million Pegasus at Gulfstream Park.

That’s not happening, though. Since her thrilling victory in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Beholder has been gradually winding down, with Mandella saying he’s cut back on her grain, while merely ponying her to give her some exercise.

“She’s settling down,” he said.

Beholder is favored to win an Eclipse Award as champion older dirt female, which would mark her fourth year-end championship in her five years on the track.