Soothsay could skip Beholder Mile in favor of Las Flores Stakes
ARCADIA, Calif. – The Grade 1 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita on Saturday may arrive too soon for Soothsay, the two-time graded stakes winner who has not raced since July.
Sunday, trainer Richard Mandella said Soothsay remains a candidate for the $500,000 Beholder Mile for fillies and mares, but that the Grade 3 Las Flores Stakes for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs on March 13 may be a better fit.
“I’m a little concerned,” Mandella said, referring to Soothsay’s level of fitness. “I’m debating.”
A 4-year-old by Distorted Humor, Soothsay has won 3 of 4 starts and earned $431,800 for Raydelz Stable. Soothsay has not raced since a win in the Grade 3 Indiana Oaks at Indiana Grand last July. An autumn campaign was abandoned after a splint bone injury was detected.
Mandella said Soothsay could start in the Las Flores as a prep for the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes at 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares on April 30.
The Beholder Mile is expected to draw a strong field, including Envoutante, who won the Grade 2 Falls City Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Churchill Downs in November; and Miss Bigly, who won the Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 12 at Oaklawn Park.
Trainer Bob Baffert is expected to have a strong presence. His nominees include the graded stakes winners As Time Goes By, Kalypso, Merneith, and Private Mission.
Lady Mistify, unraced since a second in the Zia Park Stakes in New Mexico in November, will miss the Beholder and is scheduled to have her 2022 debut in the Grade 2 Azeri Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on March 12 at Oaklawn Park, trainer Peter Eurton said.
The Beholder Mile is one of three Grade 1 races, and six stakes, on what should be a blockbuster Saturday program at Santa Anita.
The richest race of the day is the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, a $650,000 race at 1 1/4 miles led by Express Train, winner of two Grade 2 races this winter, and Stilleto Boy, who was third in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park.
Stilleto Boy worked five furlongs in 1:02 on Saturday, while Express Train worked five furlongs in 1:01.80 on Sunday. The race has a projected field of eight, including American Theorem, Law Professor, Soy Tapatio, Spielberg, Warrant, and Why Why Paul Why.
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Trainer Michael McCarthy said there is a possibility that Law Professor could run in Saturday’s Grade 1 Frank Kilroe Mile on turf. On Sunday, Award Winner worked six furlongs in 1:15.20 for a start in either the Big Cap or the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on turf on March 12.
Trainer David Hofmans timed Award Winner in 1:14.60. Award Winner won the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf last May and has not run in a stakes on dirt in his 21-race career.
“I might go in the San Luis Rey,” Hofmans said. “It’s either a mile and a quarter against tougher horses on a surface he’s not proven on or a mile and a half-mile on turf.”
The $500,000 Kilroe Mile on turf includes Count Again and Subconscious, the first two finishers of the Grade 3 Thunder Road Stakes at a mile on turf Feb. 5; Beyond Brilliant, who won the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby on turf at Del Mar in November; and Tell Your Daddy, who was second in the Grade 1 Keeneland Turf Mile in October.
There are three Grade 2 stakes on Saturday – the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, a vital prep to the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 9; the $200,000 San Carlos Stakes at seven furlongs; and the $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf.