Beholder sidelined until fall

ARCADIA, Calif. - Beholder, the beaten favorite in the $1 million Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park last Saturday, is recovering from a pastern injury likely to keep her out of racing until the autumn, trainer Richard Mandella said.

Beholder could need six weeks before the injury is healed, Mandella said.

“She’s got a nasty cut on her left hind pastern,” Mandella said. “It will heal but we don’t want to get it infected.”

Owned by B. Wayne Hughes, Beholder was the champion 2-year-old filly of 2012 and the champion 3-year-old filly of 2013. She was the even-money favorite in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps, but finished fourth, about a length behind winner Close Hatches.

Mandella said he is unsure when Beholder sustained the injury.

“I’ve watched and watched and I can’t figure out when it happened,” he said.

Beholder won the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita last November, and the same race is the primary goal this autumn, Mandella said. By Henny Hughes, Beholder has won 9 of 14 starts and earned $3,188,300.

The Ogden Phipps was the first time that Beholder finished worse than second since she ran fourth in a maiden race in her debut at Hollywood Park in June 2012.