Beholder returns in Torrey Pines

Beholder, honored as the champion two-year-old filly of 2012, will make her

return to competition on Sunday at Del Mar against only five rivals in the

$100,000

Torrey Pines on the Polytrack. The one-mile contest, which gets the

stakes action underway at the seaside track, shares the card with two divisions

of the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby as well as the $90,000

Adoration for distaffers.

Beholder hasn't raced since just missing in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill

Downs on May 3. The Henny Hughes miss had taken a two-length lead in the stretch

of the nine-furlong affair, but was caught by Princess of Sylmar and had to

settle for second on the wire.

"She came out of it fine, but she had a tough time with the

excitement there, so I gave her a little rest," trainer Richard Mandella

explained the near four-month break. "I'd put her

through a pretty tough task to go to the Kentucky Oaks, knowing that it (Derby

week and race-day excitement) wouldn't be easy for her mentally.

"She did the

best she could, and I couldn't have been prouder of her unless she'd have won

the race. And she almost won."

The bay miss has picked a good track to begin her return, as she broke her

maiden at Del Mar last year by 3 1/4 lengths. Next out, Beholder lost in a

heartbreaking photo, just run down on the wire by Executiveprivilege in the Del

Mar Debutante to finish second by a nose.

"Usually I talk myself down after a race so that if I'm surprised it's for

the good, not the bad," Mandella admitted, speaking of the Debutante. "The other

filly was so far outside, I really thought (Beholder) won and we all celebrated

until somebody grabbed my coattail and said, 'You better look at it again.'"

Gary Stevens will take over piloting duties on Beholder, who previously had

only ever been ridden by Garrett Gomez.

Nearly all of Beholder's rivals in the Torrey Pines are turf runners, which

may not factor considering the race is conducted over the synthetic Polytrack.

Miss Empire, though, actually owns some experience over the all-weather surface,

having finishing third in the Best Pal against the boys last year prior to a

fourth-placing in the Del Mar Debutante.

The Empire Maker filly filled the runner-up spot in the grassy Sandy Blue

Handicap most recently while making just her second start as a sophomore, and

gets Edwin Maldonado back in the saddle for trainer Peter Miller.