Champion Beholder continues to recover from fever

ARCADIA, Calif. – Beholder, the two-time champion, continues to struggle with an elevated temperature that prevented her from being pre-entered for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Santa Anita on Oct. 31.

Beholder was declared from the BC Distaff last Sunday when she spiked a 104-degree temperature and was treated with penicillin, which cannot appear in post-race tests. Trainer Richard Mandella said Wednesday that Beholder has shown improvement, but that her temperature that morning was 102.

“It was up a little bit, but that’s the way it goes,” he said. “She is improving.”

Owned by B. Wayne Hughes, Beholder, 4, was the champion 2-year-old filly of 2012 and champion 3-year-old filly of 2013. She won the 2013 BC Distaff.

Beholder is scheduled to be sold at the Fasig-Tipton November select fall mixed sale Nov. 3. Mandella said Wednesday it is unclear whether Beholder will be healthy enough to travel to Kentucky as scheduled Nov. 2.

“We’ll play it by ear,” Mandella said.

Beholder has won 10 of 15 starts and earned $3,368,300.