DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) Beholder ran away with the Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes on Saturday at Del Mar, beating Yahilwa by seven lengths in the $300,000 race for fillies and mares.
Ridden by Hall of Famer Gary Stevens and trained by Richard Mandella, Beholder ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.81 and paid $2.60, $2.20 and $2.10 for her 13th victory in 18 starts. The 5-year-old mare, a two-time Eclipse Award winner earn $180,000 to push her career total to $3,656,600.
''She's just amazing'' Stevens said. ''She's scary. She's just too much. This isn't work, this is fun.''
The race was part of the Breeders' Cup's ''Win and You're In'' challenge series, with the winner earning an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Distaff - a race Beholder won in 2013 - at Keeneland in October.
Mandella said he was considering running the B. Wayne Hughes-owned Beholder against males in the Grade 1 $1 million TVG Pacific Classic in three weeks.
''We may take a look at the Pacific Classic,'' Mandella said. ''It's been in the back of my mind a while. The timing is good. We're far enough away from the Breeders' Cup to do it. It'll be up to her and Mr. Hughes, obviously. I'll have to get his approval.''
Yahilwa returned $7 and $4.80, and Warren's Veneda paid $2.60 to show.
