The fields for the 14 races that comprise the Breeders’ Cup World Championships actually start to come back into focus in summer season and fall and this common function will provide a snapshot profile of one of many earlier weekend’s standout stars.
This week the selection was pretty simple. Tamara, a daughter of champion Beholder, delivered a dominant 6 ¾-length runaway victory within the $303,500 FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante Stakes Sept. 9 at Del Mar and stepped ahead as a number one contender for the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 3 at Santa Anita Park.
These blogs are supposed to supply an introduction to informal followers to a few of the key Breeders’ Cup contenders and in addition to supply some evaluation for extra devoted racing followers on how the topic may carry out on World Championships weekend primarily based on a number of elements. As a result of interesting to informal followers is crucial there usually will not be a ton of pedigree dialogue, however on this case it’s a essential part of the story and value main off with.
Beholder gained three Breeders’ Cup races throughout her profession for Corridor of Fame coach Richard Mandella – the Juvenile Fillies in 2012 and the Distaff in 2013 and 2016 – whereas amassing 18 wins in 26 begins and greater than $6.1 million in purse earnings. Beholder was inducted into the Racing Corridor of Fame in 2022 in her first 12 months of eligibility.
In her second profession as a broodmare for owner-breeder Spendthrift Farm, Beholder has produced 4 foals of racing age, together with Teena Ella, a graded stakes winner earlier this 12 months at Santa Anita Park. Tamara is Beholder’s fourth starter and her win by 6 ¼ lengths within the Sept. 9 Del Mar Debutante was spectacular and evoked reminiscences of her famous person mom.
“She’s been doing issues in her coaching that 2-year-olds aren’t speculated to do,” mentioned her rider Mike Smith, additionally a Corridor of Famer. “She’s actually particular. She’s like her mom.”
“It gave me chills,” Mandella mentioned within the winner’s circle.
Tamara is by Spendthrift stallion Bolt d’Oro, who gained the Grade 1 Frontrunner Stakes and Del Mar Futurity as a 2-year-old in 2017, and the final level I’ll make about pedigree is that Beholder not solely was a superb racemare however she is also a half-sibling (similar dam [mother], completely different sire [father]) to each Grade 1 winner and main sire Into Mischief and 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelssohn (who’s off to a stable begin as a younger sire).
It’s simple to see the place Tamara’s expertise comes from, however she has proved her capability on the racetrack in two begins. The bay filly stumbled noticeably at first of her profession debut Aug. 19 at Del Mar from the within publish in 10-horse subject and was close to the again of the sector a couple of jumps into the race. That’s fairly a bit for a first-time starter to beat however she moved up from the within to stalk the tempo and waited for Smith’s cue behind rivals on the flip. When Smith requested Tamara to speed up, she responded instantly and moved alongside pacesetting favourite Hope Highway, shifted leads on cue within the stretch like an expert, and pulled away to win by 2 ¼ lengths.
Tamara earned a 95 Equibase Velocity Determine and an 80 Beyer Velocity Determine, indicating the win impressed speed-figure makers. She was even higher within the Del Mar Debutante as she confirmed early velocity and took over with little urging, coasting to a runaway win over 11 overmatched opponents beneath a hand trip from Smith in 1:22.42 for seven-eighths of a mile.
“I simply held on in the present day,” Smith mentioned. “I didn’t need to fall off. She was doing all of it herself.”
Mentioned jockey Umberto Rispoli, who was aboard seventh-place finisher Pushiness, the pacesetter she surged previous on the flip: “I’ve been right here in California for 4 years. I’ve by no means seen something like that.”
Tamara improved her Equibase Velocity Determine to a 97 and her Beyer determine to a 91 within the Del Mar Debutante.
“I anticipated her to run good however that was just a little past,” Mandella mentioned. “Watching it, [Smith] had a lot horse he didn’t need to prohibit her. He simply had her do what she wished to do.”
Clearly there may be a lot to love about Tamara, who may simply practice as much as the Juvenile Fillies or race within the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes Oct. 7 at Santa Anita Park, however she has a few further positives because it pertains to her Breeders’ Cup probabilities:
- Her velocity figures point out she in all probability would solely must take a small step ahead within the 1 1/16-mile race to win and could be quick sufficient on paper already. Her career-top 97 Equibase Velocity Determine would have been ok to win six of the final 15 editions of the Juvenile Fillies and is simply behind the median 99 successful Equibase Velocity Determine and 98.1 common successful determine since 2008.
- The tactical velocity Tamara confirmed within the Del Mar Debutante is a key part in a Juvenile Fillies winner, particularly at Santa Anita Park. Three of the final 5 Juvenile Fillies first-place finishers (She’s a Tiger was disqualified) when Santa Anita hosted set the tempo, one pressed the tempo, and the opposite (British Idiom in 2019) was 5 ¾ lengths again after a half-mile. Seven of the final 11 winners general at any venue had been third or higher after a half-mile and inside 2 ½ lengths of the lead, eight in the event you depend She’s a Tiger.
- Corridor of Famer Mandella has gained the Juvenile Fillies thrice, nearly completely spaced a decade aside: Cellphone Chatter (1993), Halfbridled (2003), and Beholder (2012). All three of these got here at Santa Anita and he’s one 12 months overdue for an additional Juvenile Fillies win.
- Talking of Breeders’ Cup success at Santa Anita, Mandella owns 9 profession Breeders’ Cup wins from 48 starters (18.75%). That’s a powerful strike charge, however West Coast-based Mandella has historically cherished dwelling cooking on the Breeders’ Cup as all 9 of his wins have come at Santa Anita Park, host of this 12 months’s World Championships. In actual fact, he has gained with 9 of 24 Breeders’ Cup starters at Santa Anita for a exceptional 37.5% win charge.
