@Horse Racing Fan 99, Agreed! I've always been a huge Beholder fan, but I readily admit that I had Songbird picked over Beholder in the Distaff. But I'm really happy for Beholder and I consider it the best money I ever lost, LOL. I would also add that I think Songbird proved that she's the real deal in this race. She ran such a good race in her own right that you really hate to see either of them get tagged with a loss for their performances in this race.
Horse Racing Fan 99 The Distaff & Classic were mirror images. Both SONGBIRD & CALIFORNIA CHROME loose on the lead sitting on uncontested leads only to be run down by amazing performances. Unfortunately, stupid idiots blame Espinoza. What would u have like the man to do? Go 45 and change for the half instead of 47:15? Both BEHOLDER & ARROGATE ran down their rivals off of similar fractions yet the venom towards Victor Espinoza is totally uncalled for.
Well, I don't think anything would have changed the outcome in the Distaff. Both Beholder and Songbird have uncommon speed and endurance. However, in the Breeders Cup Classic Chrome probably didn't do himself any favors by leading a slow pace. Had he picked it up early he could have worn down Arrogate, leaving him with no kick at the end of the race. Who know, though? As Steve Spurrier once famously said, "Hindsight is 50/50."
That's an over generalization. I'm not talking rabbit pace. As leisurely as the early pace was, Chrome easily could have set a faster pace without tiring himself, forcing Arrogate to pick up his own pace, theoretically having less in the tank at the end to challenge Chrome. A slower pace benefits the faster horse with less endurance. A faster pace can benefit a slower horse with more endurance. Regardless, Arrogate at this point in their careers is probably the better horse.
Stunning performance from these two incredible athletes. It's so gratifying to see Beholder go out on such a high note! Shame that Stellar Wind didn't get a chance to run her race.
This is one of my favorite races. The mares, the jockeys, the trainers, the announcer, it was all first class. Even Mandella's reaction at the end of the race. He knee Beholder won, but he was so cool about it. Respect. ❤
One of those races where in defeat your respect for the horse increases. Hate to see such a champion lose, but great to see Beholder finish her career with a tremendous race after a couple of losses to Stellar Wind sandwiched around her distant second to Chrome. Sad that the race was marred by the loss of Corona del Inca.
Absolutely loved this race! Beholder and Songbird now both retired. Such great excitement and pleasure they gave us. Class acts all the way! Thanks for the memories.
Absolutely my heart was pounding every second this will go down as one of the best breeders cup distaffs in the history of horse racing....seeing these 2 champions tooty and nail trying to get to the wire first...spinetingling...just look they headed each other the entire length of the stretch....and beholder just got her nose down and the very next jump songbird was on top even in the gallopout the horses still didnt want the other to pass...UNBELIEVABLE
A dead heat would have been the perfect result. Neither of these two magnificent champions deserve to lose this race. It will be by far the greatest Distaff of all times!
It's the way a true champion deserves to end their racing career! You gotta really tip your hat to Beholder, because she was written off by a ton of people in the Distaff because of the presence of Songbird & Stellar Wind in the field.
This why horse racing is both such a fantastic and, yet, such a cruel sport virtually all at the same time. A race for the ages between two of the megastars of their era and a lesser known competitor breaks down and has to be destroyed. A bit of a pall cast over what has to be the crowning glory of the legendary Beholder's racing career. Props to, to Songbird, for making this race one that will never be forgotten. Also, RIP to that poor equine who lost her life giving more than her body was physically able to give and in the end paid the ultimate price. I wish I could remember her name. Oh well, not important. I say that because we all know that in the grand scheme of things when this race is recalled that tragic occurrence will be all but forgotten.
Poor Stellar Wind. No way you can spot horses like Beholder and Songbird the start. She really never had much of a chance given their talent. As for Songbird I'm very impressed. I happen to think the 3 year old filly crop is good and deep this year and she's been beating them with ease. Losing to a consummate older champion like Beholder by a bob of the nose after an entire stretch drive is incredibly impressive. First time she was seriously challenged in a race and she responded like the champion she is. Next bob after the wire her nose was in front, it was that close. Finally, hats off to Beholder. Looks like she's proved she never lost a step and confirmed that the level of her competition was much better this year than what she ran against last year, including that weak Pacific Classic field which she trounced!
R.I.P Corona Del Inca and Pine Island who was euthanized in this race today 10 years ago!! For a secondIi was concerned that something terrible like the 1990 Distaff :( Im glad Beholder finished her career with this win and showed Songbird she isn't always gonna have an easy race but I think this will help her in the future
This was an epic race. Always sad to lose a horse. It's hard to believe that it has been 26 years, but the similarities to the 1990 Distaff are eerie. I was a huge Go For Wand fan, but I think Bayakoa would have prevailed in that race by a nostril as well.
I was hardly able to watch this because it really reminded me of Go For Wand and Bayakoa but this one turned out much better. But coming down the stretch it looked just like Go For Wand and Bayakoa!!!
I know what you mean...but "much better" is debatable. A horse's life was lost in this race, too, Argentinian visitor Corona del Inca. She can be seen veering off to the outside at 1:46 - 1:48. She was already trailing, so her fatal breakdown was far less noticeable/dramatic than that of Go For Wand.
The official photo finish photo must have been taken after the finish line. Just look at Gary Stevens whip. In the finish photo it is in a 95 degree angle but in the video at 6:09 when they appear to cross the finish line the whip is at a 85 degree angle.
QUEEN B DID IT I SO WANTED HER TO WIN HER LAST RACE.AND SONGBIRD PROVED HOW TALENTED SHE TRULY IS.SHE LOST BY A NOSE HAIR. RIP TO THE BEAUTIFUL MARE HER LOST HER LIFE.THATS THE PART I TRULY HATE..💙 😢
With a slow pace I thought for sure the race was setting up for Songbird's speed, but it turns out the great Beholder has more speed than I gave her credit for. Neither horse gave an inch, what a great race by two great champions. Too bad Stellar wind never got in the mix after her bad start. I never heard an explanation of what happened to her, but I hope she wasn't injured.
I know a lot of people are going to disagree in the comments, but I don't really care. This is got to me for seven or eight years now, not so much that I even care, but because how people can screw up so easily, if you watch really closely songbird clearly got her head down in front of beholder, when you're just watching it and even in replay if it's going too fast, it seems very obvious that beholder one, her whole body was in front, but you got to realize that songbird is a smaller horse , she got her nose down before behold or even got to the wire
Gary Stevens Vs Mike Smith! Fantastic! This time Beholder from off the pace! What a way to end her career! Great Distaff! Btw, Wtf was Collmus screaming? He is screaming so loud u cannot understand him!
AnnaNicolesDeathbed Yes. What the hell did Collmus scream? Yes, I miss Tom Durkin. And I think Trevor Denman would have done a great job. This was a mirror image of the classic except Victor took alot of unfair criticism as far as this fan is concerned! Stupidity & Ignorance
AnnaNicolesDeathbed Lol. It was unintelligible. I was like Wtf was he screaming? I truly miss Tom Durkin. Unfortunately I haven't heard Michael Wrona's call. Too many botched calls by Collmus as far as I am concerned. Wood Memorial, then the Preakness not knowing who was challenging Nyquist on the front end. He is no Tom Durkin.
The way he loses it during exciting races is pretty funny. I agree with you on Durkin. Trevor Denman, like Durkin, found a way to both clearly tell you the story of the race and also instill excitement, although he does it differently. This guy though...that call was just hilarious.
Not sure if what Victor did in the Classic made the difference. But it certainly didn't help his horse win, let's say that. Great race nonetheless. And the way they were so far clear of the others was pretty majestic.
beholder gana la carrera porque a Sonbird jamas habia sido tan exigida nunca habia tenido tanta tension mientras que para beholder es un dia mas en la oficina.
No se que le pasó a Mike Smith: en la recta de enfrente lucía a lomos de Songbird una silla "a la venezolana": parado sobre los estribos y ejerciendo un efecto de paracaídas como si hubiera traspasado la meta. En mi modesta opinión, eso cansó a Songbird. En cuanto a Gary Stevens: ¡Sencillamente espectacular! Con 58 años de edad sigue ganando carreras cómo si fuera un muchacho de 25 ¡Y mire que ha sufrido unas cuantas fracturas! En una entrevista hace más de diez años, dijo que a lo largo de su carrera se había roto ¡6 vertebras! y que tiene los hombros completamente reconstruidos amén de 5 ó 6 operaciones en cada rodilla. No me cansaré de ver ésta carrera. Saludos desde Ciudad Guayana, Estado Bolívar.
Caroni100 bro de pana un efecto paracaida? Tu como que nunca has visto correr a esa yegua. Siempre a corrido así chamo siempre. Porque? Porque siempre va adelante y te repito JAMAS A SUFRIDO ESTRES MIENTRAS QUE ESO ES RUTINA PARA BEHOLDER.
¡Ah! Francamente no conocia ese dato. Ya me parecia extraña esa postura de Smith, porque los jinetes en Estados Unidos no montan de esa manera. Lo del "efecto paracaidas" no lo inventè yo: la frase la acuñò el periodista hìpico venezolano Francisco Andra Àlvarez (QEPD) quien no se cansò de llamar la atenciòn a nuestros jinetes por esa mala costumbre. Saludos.
Caroni100 man. Esa yegua tiene demasiada velocidad por eso vez que va asi pero no es normal en ella. Mirate los videos de Ramon Dominguez cuando gano la breeders con el moro Hansel. Eso se llama perfeccion en punta. O la de castellano con Ghostzapper en 2004. Eso es perfeccion en punta.
what a great effort by these fantastic females. it was as close to a dead heat as it could have been. I don't think songbird thinks she was second best. beholder got the win money but to me it was a draw.
bgardiner2000 he messed up a little bit at the end by saying "living up to its expected... power" but other than that I thought it was a good enthusiastic call. he should've said "living it up to its expected build or expected hype" but none the less it was a good call in my opinion
I went to Santa Anita that day and loved the race but so saddened to know of the terrible tragedy that took place... It made my event there bittersweet..:(
This was a wonderful race, but this record of it will be marred by the weak stretch call. Mr. Tom Collmus isn't a bad announcer, but he is too inconsistent to be used for big races like the Breeders' Cup. Here he fumbled his words and his voice broke (again, it happens over and over in tight races). Can't he take some voice lessons to cure that tendency? Every time I watch one of his races I dread that Mr. Collmus will suddenly go soprano. Has there ever been a race were he rouse to the event like Dave Johnson, Chic Anderson, Marshall Cassidy or Tom Durkin? All those men had some bad moments, but those were greatly out numbered by the highs. Can you imagine what a young Dave Johnson would have done with this race? Oh well, NBC doesn't care about what I have to say; Mr. Collmus has a multi-year contract and those checks are not going to bounce.
Mike Smith blew it again when he had a horse with a perfect record in a Breeders' Cup Race. He was in tough vs Beholder though having already won two Breeders' Cup races before but damn .... C'MON MAN! Out $40 by losing it in such a heart breaking way ... sucked! :S
Sean DeMarco How'd Mike Smith blow it? He did everything he was supposed to. He got her to a comfortable lead and Songbird was going strong. She fought, but lost a head bob. Nothing Mike could do about that. He's the winningest jockey in BC history.
Horse Racing Fan 99 uh no. He didn't ride that horse every single time and it is so gifted that other jockeys could have won with it time and time again.
+sweetepnoy I agree with Mary Ellen. I desperately wanted that undefeated record. I wanted her to challenge the consecutive wins streak. I absolutely loathe seeing that second place finish in her career record. This was the most disappointed I've been in the sport since Big Brown didn't win the Belmont Stakes.
Sometimes the safe play is to take place or show at the Breeders Cup.I did that on Zenyatta's last race (though I still felt gutted by her narrow loss to Blame). When else would Songbird pay $2.80 to show?
Except that she didn't lose, slow down the replay of the stretch run, and watch the finish and you will clearly see, she got her head down on the wire first. She was robbed what a shame.
@@alfordmcbean3255 No. Any oblique angle like in this video cannot be relied on in a finish that close. Google the BloodHorse Daily article Upon Even Further Review by Bob Barry Feb. 5, 2018. At the top of the article is the official photo, with the camera in perpendicular alignment with the finish line. Beholder won by a nostril.
Given a choice between the Santa Anita race caller and Colmus, it was a no-brainer. Hey, it was nice to see that Al Michaels (The Audible Cadaver, NBC) had to buy a ticket to get it!
Congrat to absolutly fantastic female horses Beholder & Songbird ! We SPBK Inspectors Swedens US Swedens let familys start share own United States of America with SWEDENS unitwd states of Europa wirh Swedens and Denmarks Norways horse farmers with Ciys with Irelands UK US SWE Goldminedogs in US
It was.... mobile.santaanita.com/?video/replays/2016-11/04 Click race 9 (that may only work on a phone) Why NBC thinks we rather hear Colmus talk through a race than a real race call is beyond me. Maybe infrequent race viewers prefer that? The track feeds will usually have the actual track announcer (unless Colmus is your announcer!) I know I'm quite torn up that he won't be gracing us with his presence at gulfstream this year. Don't get me wrong, Colmus certainly isn't awful and he has had some memorable calls, but 9/10 times, I prefer the track announcer.
Expected power Collmus blew it like aways a complete failure don't matter what you say when they break the stretch run Is the only one that matters maybe his wife knows
Blew the derby call picking up rich 100 yrd s out too busy looking at the moniter instead of the binoculars that are provided selfish call and it was all recorded 🙄
Dont you LOVE watching Songbird fans make EXCUSES when she lost?..Beholder was past her prime coming into this race and STILL beat Songbird..Beholder in her prime would have jogged right past Songbird to win by 5 or more lengths..Rachel Alexandra would DESTROYYYYYY songbird badly..Mike smith gave songbird a perfect ride..she just LOST to a better horse
Agreed. Not to mention the devastation an in-form Paseana, Inside Information, Azeri or Zenyatta would inflict on Songbird.Even an in-form Blind Luck would run down Songbird, as would Stellar Wind at her best.
