Robust field forming for Shoemaker Mile

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Shoemaker Mile on June 3 is likely to have a robust field for the richest turf race of Santa Anita’s spring-summer meeting. The Beholder Mile on the same day will have a small field for the richest race of the season for fillies and mares.

Both races are worth $400,000 and are the final Grade 1 races of the meeting, which continues through July 4.

As of Friday, the candidates for the Shoemaker Mile were Bal a Bali, Bolo, Farhaan, Free Rose, Gangster, Mr. Roary, Perfectly Majestic, What a View, and possibly Heart to Heart and Prospect Park.

Bal a Bali won the Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf in March but was fifth in the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs on May 6. Farhaan, Perfectly Majestic, and Bolo were the top three finishers of the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes on April 29. What a View beat California-breds in the Crystal Water Stakes on May 20.

The Beholder Mile is led by Stellar Wind, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015, and Vale Dori, who has won six consecutive races, including five graded stakes, since last October.

The race drew seven nominations, notably Songbird, the champion 3-year-old filly of 2016. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said Thursday that Songbird will have her first start of 2017 in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps Stakes at Belmont Park on June 10.

Finest City, the champion female sprinter of 2016, is possible for the Beholder Mile, pending a workout this weekend, trainer Ian Kruljac said.

The other three nominees are doubtful. Bob Baffert, who trains Vale Dori, nominated the allowance-class filly Faithfully but said she will not start. Show Stealer, eighth behind Vale Dori in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes in March, is bound for the minor Santa Lucia Stakes on June 4, trainer Art Sherman said. Sensitively, third to Vale Dori in the Grade 3 Adoration Stakes on May 7, is more likely for an allowance race, trainer Phil D’Amato said.

Songbird’s absence did not change D’Amato’s point of view.

“It’s still a good 1-2 punch,” he said of Stellar Wind and Vale Dori. “I don’t want to dance with those fillies.”

Racing officials said they hope to attract additional entries at Wednesday’s supplemental stage due to the lure of significant prize money and the race’s Grade 1 status.

The Beholder and Shoemaker miles are the top races of the first weekend of June. There is racing this Monday with a program highlighted by two $200,000 races for 3-year-old California-breds: the Snow Chief Stakes on turf and the Melair Stakes on the main track for fillies.