American Pharoah’s rival in Classic, Beholder, scratched
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Beholder, the 3-1 second choice on the morning line behind favorite American Pharoah for Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, has been withdrawn from the showpiece race because of health concerns.
The 5-year-old mare, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in 2012 and Distaff in 2013, was discovered to have bled after her morning gallop on Thursday.
“There’s obviously some irritated lung tissue there,” trainer Richard Mandella said in a statement. “She will be fine, but if I put her under the pressure of a race situation, it could cause some real damage.”
The two-time Eclipse Award champion has won all of her five starts this season, including the Pacific Classic at Del Mar against male rivals over the Classic distance.
In Beholder’s absence, heavily favored American Pharoah looks an even likelier bet to end his stellar Triple Crown career with a win in his hugely anticipated farewell at Keeneland Race Course.
The Bob Bafferttrained 3-year-old, aiming for a ninth win in 11 lifetime starts, had been installed as the early 6-5 favorite earlier this week, but that was revised to 4-5 on Thursday following Beholder’s withdrawal.
American Pharoah will break from the fourth post in a nine-horse field.
Tonalist, the 4-year-old who dashed California Chrome’s Triple Crown bid in 2014 with a thrilling victory in the Belmont Stakes, is the second choice at 4-1, with exciting stretch-runner Honor Code at 5-1.
American Pharoah entered the pantheon of U.S. thoroughbred racing’s all-time greats by winning the Belmont wire-to-wire in June to become the first horse to capture the coveted Triple Crown in nearly four decades.
American Pharoah became the 12th horse and first since Affirmed in 1978 to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont.