Classic mare Beholder scratches before race
October 31, 2015
By Morgan Lafferty
The battle between Beholder and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah will no longer be possible. Beholder scratched on Thursday morning due to lung inflammation found after her workout. A vet also found blood after a checkup.
On Oct. 20, Beholder came down with a fever which caused her to miss that morning’s workout. These reports were very similar to last year’s reports before Beholder’s scratch in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff.
After missing the chance to defend her title in the Distaff in 2014, Beholder did not enter the November Breeding Stock sale at Keeneland.
Instead, trainer Richard Mandella decided to continue Beholder’s racing career, leading her all the way back to this year’s Breeders’ Cup.
Beholder is known for becoming anxious during and after shipping. She is also known for having lost any race she has run outside of California.
Regardless, the news that Beholder had been scratched from the Classic rippled through the racing community.
“Shocked and heartbroken,” Ahmed Zayat, owner of American Pharoah tweeted Thursday morning. “I am a Beholder fan and lover. Wish her the best. I commend their connection for doing what’s right by her.”
Mandella has always put the horse’s health before her career and he wants to make sure she is sound in hope of racing the two-time Breeders’ Cup winner in 2016 tweeting, “No worries everyone, I’ll win the Classic next year.”
