Beholder Mile Stakes 2024 | Santa Anita Park Picks

Aaron previews the 2024 Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) from Santa Anita Park, then gives his top pick from the horse race.

Will last year’s top California-based distaffer Adare Manor return with her usual pizzazz to kick off her 5-year-old season? Tell us YOUR thoughts in the Comments section!

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The press release:

Adare Manor leads an accomplished cast of nine older fillies and mares set to go postward in Saturday’s GI, $300,000 Beholder Mile.  The Beholder Mile is one of three graded stakes on Saturday’s nine-race card at Santa Anita.

With nine races, three of them graded stakes, first post time will be 12:30 p.m. Admission gates will open at 10:30 a.m.

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Adare Manor will be making her first start since a seventh-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

Trained by Bob Baffert, the 5-year-old Uncle Mo mare claimed Grade I glory last year when winning the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at the Del Mar summer meet. She has five graded stakes wins in all for owner Michael Lund Petersen and an overall record of 7-4-0 in 14 starts with $1,001,600 in earnings.

Regular rider Juan Hernandez will be aboard Adare Manor. She has worked seven times since Jan. 6 for her comeback.

Exiting the GIII La Canada at 1 1/16 miles are winner Desert Dawn for trainer Phil D’Amato and runner-up Coffee in Bed for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.

Desert Dawn rallied to win the La Canada by one length under Flavien Prat. It was Desert Dawn’s first graded stakes win since the GII Santa Anita Oaks in 2022.

A 5-year-old Arizona-bred by Cupid, Desert Dawn is campaigned by breeder H & E Ranch. In last year’s Beholder Mile, Desert Dawn was fourth behind winner A Mo Reay.

Desert Dawn will have a new rider Saturday, as Prat sticks with highly promising allowance winner Sweet Azteca for trainer Michael McCarthy. Replacing Prat on Desert Dawn is Antonio Fresu.

Sweet Azteca served notice when crushing an allowance field by 12 lengths here Feb. 2 going 6 ½ furlongs. The effort earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure.

The Beholder Mile will be Sweet Azteca’s fourth career start and first time going two turns. A 4-year-old filly by Sharp Azteca, she is campaigned by breeder Pamela C. Ziebarth.

Invading from the east are Green Up and Interstatedaydream for trainer Todd Pletcher.

A 5-year-old Upstart mare, Green Up won stakes at three different racetracks last year. She won the Boiling Springs at Monmouth Park in July and Cathryn Sophia at Parx in August, both at one mile and 70 yards, and closed out the season with a victory in the seven-furlong Pumpkin Pie Stakes at Aqueduct Nov. 5.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez returns to Santa Anita to ride Green Up, who is owned by Team Valor International.

Interstatedaydream will have Frankie Dettori in the irons for her 5-year-old bow. Last year, Classic Empire mare closed out the season with consecutive stakes wins in the 1 1/8-mile Turnbackthealarm at Aqueduct in November and the 1 1/16-mile Twixt Stakes at Laurel Park in September. 

Owned by Flurry Racing Stables, Interstatedaydream has a record of 7-3-3 in 14 starts with $806,369 in earnings.

THE GRADE I BEHOLDER MILE AT SANTA ANITA, WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Coffee in Bed – Mike Smith – 120
2. Adare Manor – Juan Hernandez – 122
3. Green Up – John Velazquez – 120
4. Desert Dawin – Antonio Fresu – 122
5. Interstatedaydream – Lanfranco Dettori – 120
6. Sweet Azteca – Flavien Prat – 120
7. Kirstenbosch – Hector Berrios – 120
8. Turnerloose – Edwin Maldonado – 120
9. Window Shopping – Kazushi Kimura – 122