Sweet Azteca, Adare Manor faces a tough field in Beholder

Six trainers entered the March 9 Beholder Mile Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park together won 47 Breeders’ Cup championships. Three of Beholder’s entries competed in the Breeders’ Cup, and seven of nine were stakes winners, most in graded events.

However, the lightest distance runner could finish ahead of all of them, especially if she repeats her most recent form. Michael McCarthy works out Sweet Azteca , who finished third in the Jan. 1 Las Flores Stakes (G3) in just his second start. She then went 12 lengths in the 6 1/2-length optional allowance claiming race at Santa Anita on February 2. Leading jockey Flavien Prat ridden the 4-year-old daughter of Crisp Azteca that day and returned from lesson 6.

Sweet Azteca gave her the job. Adare Manor who put together an impressive four-straight winning streak last year for trainer Bob Baffert, is making her first start since finishing seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) Nov. 4. She The start of the day was not as good as usual and there were difficulties at the end of the race.

Adare Manor, the 5 year old daughter of Uncle Mo , which last year captured the Santa Maria Stakes (G2), Santa Margarita Stakes (G2), Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) and Zenyatta Stakes (G2), all but Hirsch at Santa Anita. She is the only millionaire in the field and receives the services of top jockey Juan Hernandez from 2nd place. Hernandez has partnered Adare Manor in all of her graded wins in last year.

Trainer Todd Pletcher, for whom McCarthy has been an assistant for many years, is sending out multiple stakes winners federal dream And Let’s be fresh to Watchers. European superstar jockey Frankie Dettori will pilot Interstatedaydream from 5th, while jockey John Velazquez will head to California to take on Green Up from 3rd.

Brad Cox coached Interstatedaydream through last season, when she scored at Water racetrack, Laurel ParkAnd Pimlico Race Course. Daughter of Classic Empire 3rd in 2022 won the George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (G2) and Indiana Oaks (G3). This is her first start for owner Repole Stable after being purchased for $1.4 million at the November 2023 Keeneland Stud Sale.

Green Up is a three-time bet winner. My 5 year old daughter has a gentle personality Start won two shares at Parx racing in 2022 and the November 5 Pumpkin Pie Stakes at Aqueduct in her most recent outing.

Phil D’Amato brought two graded winners to the Beholder in Desert dawn (Antonio Fresu, lesson 4) and rotate loosely (Edwin Maldonado, lesson 8). Desert Dawn, the 5-year-old daughter of Cupid won the 2022 Santa Anita Oaks (G2) and is coming off a win in the La Canada Stakes (G3) on Jan. 20. Turnerloose, a 5-year-old daughter of Nyquistist won the 2022 Rachel Alexandra Stakes (G2) when trained by Cox and is placed in multiple graded stakes.

Richard Mandella has entered Go watching around And Coffee in bed . The 4 year old daughter of American Pharaoh Window Shopping won the 2023 Summertime Oaks (G2) and will be ridden by Kazushi Kimura from 9th. Coffee in Bed, a 4-year-old daughter of curled up , most recently finished second at La Cañada. Mandella assigned Mike Smith to drive from the rails.

Kirstenbosch 5 year old daughter of Midnight Lute Trained by John Sadler, completed the field under jockey Hector Berrios from position 7. She won the 2023 La Canada and Chillingworth Stakes (G3) last fall.