Champion filly Beholder brought up an international double for Henny Hughes on Saturday with an outstanding victory in the G1 Zenyatta Stakes (1700m) at Santa Anita.
Rangeview Stud resident Henny Hughes (USA) had earlier sired Keiai Leone to a G3 victory against older horses in the Sirius Stakes (2000m) at Hanshin.
Beholder (3f Henny Hughes – Leslie’s Lady by Tricky Creek) was something to behold winning for the fourth time at Group 1 level in the Zenyatta Stakes. She was also pitted against more seasoned mares but simply toyed with them to score a front-running one length victory.
Jockey Gary Stevens had kicked her three lengths clear at the top of the straight before gearing down over the final furling. “We get along pretty good and I haven’t gotten to the bottom of her yet,” Stevens said. “It feels like she has another gear there.”
Beholder won her first Group 1 in the 2012 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last November and added the Las Virgenes Stakes and Santa Anita Oaks at the elite level earlier this year.
She earned a fees-paid berth to this year’s Breeders’ Cup Distaff for her win in the Zenyatta and trainer Richard Mandella issued a challenge to the filly’s rivals in the lead-up to the November championships. “Beholder is a filly that loves a fight,” he said. “She does everything so easily.”
Earlier on Saturday, Henny Hughes struck in Japan when his colt Keiai Leone won the G3 Sirius Stakes. He prevailed by a neck from the six year-old stallions Nice Meet You and Grand City.
Keiai Leone (3c Henny Hughes–Most Remarkable by Marquetry) had opened his black-type account in the LR Junior Grand Prix at Sonoda last November. He was conceived in Kentucky and sold “in utero” with his dam for $300,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November Sale.
Saturday’s Group double completed another successful week for Henny Hughes who stands at Rangeview Stud for a $7,700 (inc gst) service fee.
Kentucky filly Nana Anna became his 14th black-type winner in the LR Rachel’s Turn Stakes last weekend and, closer to home, his Wyong based filly Henny’s Lass completed a hat-trick for trainer Allan Denham on Monday.
On Thursday, Henny Hughes debutant Mean Season was an eye-catching winner over 1600m at Laurel. He opened up a 15 length lead on the home turn and then coasted to a 5 length victory.
Mean Season (3c Henny Hughes – Mean Imogene by Silver Deputy) was a $72,000 graduate of the 2011 Keeneland September yearling sale and stable supporters backed him into a 2/1 favourite first up.
On Friday, Henny Hughes sired the 34th winner from his first Australian crop when So Delicious broke through at Ipswich. The Kelly Schweida trained filly improved her sire’s strike-rate from that initial book to 61%.
– Karl Patterson
BEHOLDER
Henny Hughes filly on track for Breeders’ Cup