Housekeeping
Dear Fans,
How is it already July? Beholder and Q B One are weaned and enjoying their days in the warm summer sun.
This month we have been doing some housekeeping here at the farm and found something we thought you would like.
We found a Beholder hat created right after her Breeders’ Cup Distaff win during her 3 year old campaign that is signed by Richard Mandella. Comment your favorite Beholder moment, whether it was during her racing career or more recently, and we will pick one fan to win the hat! You get bonus points for following Spendthrift on all social media platforms. The winner will be announced at noon on Tuesday, July 17th on the blog!
Also, we have opened tours to meet & greet with Beholder (Q B One is not included in the tour) on Friday’s at 9 am next week through the end of August. Head to our friends at Horse Country www.visithorsecountry.com to book your visit!
Good luck!
Sincerely,
Team Spendthrift
Comments
31 Comments
The affection shown between Beholder & Richard Mandela on his first visit to Spendthrift following her retirement.
Beholder and Songbird’s dual in the Breeder’s Cup Distaff
The affection between Beholder & Richard Mandella on his first visit to Spendthrift following her retirement.
Hi, my absolute favorite Beholder moment was the 2015 TVG Pacific Classic. When she made her move it was almost as if the other horses froze in place and then to win by the margin she did. She made Bayern and company look like plow horses on the track. Beholder and Gary were absolutely magnificent that day.
There are so many fantastic moments in Beholder’s life, but I’d have to go with her last race. I loved both Beholder and Songbird, but Beholder was always my real love. When they turned for home together in the Distaff, neither wanting to give an inch, I knew that I wanted it to be close either way, but I just really wanted Beholder to go out a winner. So many people thought she had lost a step at the end of her career, so when they hit the line together, with Beholder’s nose a nostril in front, I was already happy sobbing. That race was one of the most exhilarating, satisfying races I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing.
Lauren described that amazing race so well. Two beautiful favorites running side by side but I wanted Beholder with Gary Smith on board to be the winner. It was Beholder’s last race and it was beauty. I have the photo of her, Gary Stevens, Mr. Mandella and the group in the winner’s circle after the Distaff in a frame. Beholder has the winning flowers over her and Mr. Mandella looks wonderful in his dapper hat. Now we wait to see what her Uncle Mo colt does in the future.
I tried to book a tour but nothing in October when I’m there.
I have a.photo of Beholder rearing while Richard is at the end of the lead. This reminds me of what he said about training her and listening to her … Top notch trainer Richard ????
He allowed her to achieve greatness.
I became a fan of Mr. Mandella after watching On the Muscle and then by following the career of Crown of Thorns so it was only natural that I latched on to Beholder when she began her career. I was able to attend the 2012 Breeder’s Cup and when she put away Executiveprivilege to win the Juvenile Fillies I was over the moon. Followed her through the rest of her career and into motherhood with great interest and affection.
The best moment though was Father’s Day 2016 when I opened my gift to find a full sized framed poster of my favourite race horse! My kids had gone to the trouble of arranging to have one of the posters that were given out at Santa Anita shipped up to Winnipeg, Canada for me. They had it framed and now Beholder has a place of honour on our family room wall. She is very special.
Queen B has so many special races you can just pick one and not be wrong. Even in defeat (argh hair pull) she fought and gave it her all!. But the one race I will always remember is the 2015 Pacific Classic where she beat the boys by 8 + lengths first Filly to win and no doubts about her superiority. She has earned her totle Queen B and one million dollars added to her coffers!
The feeling when she won her last race knowing she gave everyone her best! A good friend was able to get us back to the barn to see her the night before she left to KY. She gave us sweet, warm kisses and and allowed us to simply adore her. We all had tears as we left with those memories ingrained in our minds. Everyone at the barn was so accommodating and understanding of what she meant and still means to her fans! Thanks for those memories!????
I have so many favorite Beholder moments, I just can’t pick just one!
One is her amazing Pacific Classic. When Gary asked her to go on that final turn, and she just put it into another gear and flew past those boys, I was completely in awe.
I will never forget her last race, the BC Distaff. People were saying she had lost a step with age, but I had complete confidence that she was going to show her absolute best to beat Songbird. It was epic race and stretch duel by both mares that will be enjoyed by fans for decades to come.
Another memory is watching Richard Mandella talk about Beholder, during her racing days and now in retirement. His voice and his eyes show such emotion and softness when talking about her. It is visible to everyone how special she is to him.
Lastly, probably my favorite memory was getting to finally meet Beholder at the Meet & Greet in December. Having the opportunity to meet the Queen in person was a day I’ll cherish the rest of my life. She was sweet, kind and patient, and loves her fans.
My favorite Beholder moment is when she won the Breeders Cup Distaff. When she won against Songbird. I will never forget that race. It would end up being the last race of her career, to having he Uncle Mo foal.
So many to choose from! But I have to say when she delivered that beautiful baby boy and showed such “mare-therly” love
Just hearing the name Beholder gives me chills. She is truly something special. My favorite memory was when she won the Pacific Classic in 2015. Given Del Mar is my home track it’s always a special moment to see horses like Beholder win here.
Its sooooo hard to pick just one moment. But mine would have to be when QB1 was born. All of racing fans were united waiting for that day and were overjoyed when she gave birth to a little colt. I remeber seeing those “It’s a colt!” Post everywhere on Instagram. And definitely after that too with the naming contest and stalking the Beholder blog for pictures of her and QB1 together. Especially as I was (and still am!) newly into racing and had recently gone back and watched some of Queen B’s races it made the moment 10x more special to me as QB1 was the first colt to be born that I was really excited about. That moment will always be special to my heart :).
There is no doubt that one of the iconic moments in thoroughbred racing occurred during the Breeder’s Cup Distaff as Beholder and Songbird battled the entire length of the stretch with the mare edging out the filly in one of the truely great races in history. Oh what a race of champions that was!!
Her last race, beating Songbird in the Breeder’s Cup Distaff.
I have to say that her final triumph over the courageous Songbird is my most indelible memory of this incomparable mare. Never to be forgotten!
I’m torn on whether my favorite moment was her BC Juvenile win or her final Distaff…that Juve Fillies field was so good, so many had shown such brilliance so early, and I remember being blown away by how much she and Dreaming of Julia really wanted it, but Beholder was so good and so determined. As for the Distaff, I haven’t happily cried that long after a race besides Pharoah’s TC. It was one of those rare hype races that actually lives up to everything it was billed to be. For Beholder and Songbird to both lay it down the entire stretch, showing that kind of talent and determination was incredible. And for that to be the way Beholder retired, a fan couldn’t really ask for more.
Meeting her for the first time at Peacefield Farm during her vacation before her last year of racing will always be my favorite memory of horse racing. I thank Mr. Mandella and Spendthrift every day for letting Beholder rest at the farm between her years of racing and for visitors like me see her and feed her peppermints.
My favorite moment was after she won the Zenyatta in 2015, a friend introduced me to Richard and he let me and my daughter into the winner’s circle and I was standing so close to her I could’ve touched her, it took all my willpower not to lol, it was a very hot day so it was short and sweet but I have the photo on my phone screen so I can always relive it, before that we got an awesome spot to see her in the paddock as she came out…the best day ever!!!
Her beating Songbird by just a nose in the ’16 Distaff. I was there with my dad. The whole field vanished. It was just the two of them. The champion older mare whom beat the boys, and the undefeated filly, with the champion older mare just besting the undefeated filly. I’ve watched a lot of big races live, and that is by far the best. And I saw Pharoah in the Classic.
Breeders Cup Beholder edging out Songbird by a whisker
I’ve loved her from the beginning, have been to see her while in foal with Q B One. She is my absolute favorite and what a thrilling ride she gave us..
Was thrilled to no end with her 8 1/4 length win in the (2015) Pacific Classic and how Gary and Richard said it was all her, her idea. She missed the track record by 3/8’s of a second, she made histoty as the first mae to enter and win.
Her undefeated campaighn in (2015).
Her speeds for 1/16), (1 1/4), and (1 1/4) miles in (2015) were faster than American Pharoah’s.
She a once in a lifetime horse.
Also, when Richard Mandella was interviewed prior to Paradise Woods’ G1 Beholder Mile this year and he got sentimental when it came to Beholder (She’ll never forget Papa).
He stated In the interview without hesitation his favorite of her races the (2015) G1 Pacific Classic.
It was her brilliance and dominance on display that day….still think about and watch.
She is such a fabulous mare, it’s hard to pick just one moment! Her race with Songbird was epic, as many people have mentioned. I guess the most unique thing I loved about Beholder was getting to see videos of her in western gear during her downtime off the track. It was very cool to get to see her outside of her element!
It would be a toss up between the Pacific Classic and the BC Distaff vs Songbird. I was there screaming at the rail and will NEVER forget that gutsy win! I really wanted her to go out a winner that day,
It would be a toss up between the TVG Pacific Classic (and that unbelievable move!) or the BC Distaff vs Songbird. I was there screaming at the rail, so wanting her to go out a winner – and she DID!
My first Breeders Cup 2016 at Santa Anita. I was standing near the finish line screaming so loudly I lost my voice for Saturday! Was literally jumping up and down as Queen B and Songbird came down the stretch. I’ve been to the Belmont & witnessed Triple Crowns but that day remains one of my favorites watching her go out a winner!
The Pacific Classic was my favorite when Beholder showed the boys what a true racehorse can do gave them all a good shot of her tail.
Beholder’s first time in the paddock since her retirement: As the handler unclipped the rope she took a couple steps forward towards the center, held her head high & just stood there looking on. Looking as beautiful as ever Beholder then nibbled some grass & looked around. Took a couple more steps then placed herself again in the center, head high, looking on. I don’t have the slightest idea of what was going through her mind but through my mind as I watched her, was the ending scene in Black Beauty where Beauty is laying on the grass & his voice speaks on saying “i have now lived in this happy place a whole year. My strengths & spirits are back” & continues to “my troubles are over & I, am at home”. Just watching her it hit me. Beholder is retired. I would no longer see her race BUT she is in a happy place. Her strong spirits & strengths that once carried her over the track , are now going to carry her over spacious & green grass. Beholder is in her new home.
While other horses go wild & get playful, Beholder provided us…well me, with a sight so graceful & majestic. What a Queen.
Like many have mentioned, there are SO many moments…. I followed my beloved Beholder from the time she was a 2yo. Her brave and amazing Kentucky Oaks; her sicknesses; those close, touching peppermint moments with Richard back at her stall; her incredible Pacific Classic; just her beautiful self; her final race where I screamed for at least 5 minutes straight – probably more – when she went out in such a brave battle. All those and more are right up there.
BUT for my favorite moment was during her time at the farm. I think this may have been in January 2016? I can’t remember who tweeted out, it may have been Zoe Cadman, but it was a video of Beholder chilling at the farm, in the dirt, and playing in the water tub. I was glad she was getting some rest and relaxation and it was so fun to see her playful and funny side as she played in the water tub. It also really helped cause I was worried about her being away, so getting the updates were really nice.
I love Beholder so much. Thank you for taking such good care of her and her little growing boy.