Beholder set to battle rivals in Ogden Phipps Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. – Beholder, the 3-year-old champion filly of 2013, arrived in New York Thursday from Southern California for her showdown with divisional rivals Princess of Sylmar and Close Hatches in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $1 million Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park.

The Phipps will mark the first time Beholder has raced outside of California since the Kentucky Oaks, a race in which she was beaten a half-length by New York-based Princess of Sylmar. In the Oaks, Beholder acted up in the post parade – forcing jockey Garrett Gomez to dismount – before making the lead in the upper stretch and getting caught late.

David Nuesch, a former New York-based jockey who now works for trainer Richard Mandella, traveled cross-country with Beholder.

“She was always a little bit on tilt at that time going into it,” Nuesch said, harkening back to the Oaks. “She seems to be a year older, a year more mature, so hopefully, she handles this in stride. Hopefully, we can at least hold our ground on a track other than Santa Anita.”

On Friday, Beholder galloped a mile over the Belmont training track under Nuesch, who said that trainer Richard Mandella just wanted a light morning for the filly.

Beholder has not lost since the Kentucky Oaks. She finished her 3-year-old campaign with victories in the Torrey Pines Stakes, the Grade 1 Zenyatta, and the Breeders’ Cup Distaff – beating Close Hatches and Princess of Sylmar in the latter. She began this year with a 5 1/4-length score on April 20 in the Santa Lucia Stakes at Santa Anita.

Nuesch said Mandella was due in Monday and that Beholder may have a workout over the main track early to mid-week.