Beholder showing progress after pastern injury

Beholder, the Eclipse Award winner for her age group in 2012 and 2013, has shown progress from a pastern injury sustained June 7 in the $1 million Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park.

Trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday that Beholder “is getting better” and that the pastern has responded to treatment in the last week. He said the 4-year-old Beholder likely will be out of training for another month.

Mandella theorizes that Beholder was struck by the hoof of a rival in the Phipps Stakes.

“The whole pastern is scraped up,” he said Sunday. “I think a toe grab sliced through to the bone on an upward swing. It’s too jagged to stitch. We’re treating it with antibiotics. She’s not out of the woods yet. At first, I thought she would need six weeks, but maybe it will be a little less than that.”

Beholder finished fourth, a length behind Close Hatches in the Grade 1 Phipps Stakes.

Owned by B. Wayne Hughes, 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 the champion 3-year-old filly of 2013. Last autumn, Beholder won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita, a race that is a goal for this year.