Splendora crushed her rivals in the Beholder Mile and continues to build her reign
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The trainee of Bob Baffert secured a new Grade 1 success and is beginning to establish herself in the middle-distance division; will she be able to keep stretching out in distance?
ARCADIA, California (Special for Turf Diario).– The formidable Splendora once again proved why she is one of the most dominant mares in the United States by authoritatively taking the B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile (G1-1600m, dirt) this Saturday at Santa Anita Park. The Bob Baffert trainee, winner of the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), reaffirmed her elite form by securing her fifth consecutive victory, leaving a dominant impression from start to finish.
With Juan Hernandez in the irons, the daughter of Audible broke quickly to take the lead immediately, controlling the pace at will. Bless the Broken (Laoban) attempted to keep up during the early stages but was never able to threaten her.
Splendora set fractions of 23s49/100, 46s77/100, and 1m10s31/100 with absolute ease. When Hernandez asked for more in the homestretch, the response was clinical: the mare drew away without opposition to cross the wire with a 5 3/4-length advantage, stopping the clock in 1m35s16/100. Bless the Broken finished second, while Om N Joy (Om), rallying from the back of the pack, completed the podium.
The victory held special meaning for Randy and Jenny Boyd, who were visiting Santa Anita for the first time after recently acquiring a share in the champion. The partnership with By Talla Racing was facilitated by Brittany Linton, CEO of Boyd Racing.
"We were thinking about buying a broodmare next fall, but this opportunity allowed us to move up a year and enjoy her on the track as well," explained Randy Boyd, president of the University of Tennessee.
Splendora’s career continues to reach new heights. In addition to her Breeders’ Cup triumph, her winning streak includes the Tranquility Lake Stakes (L) and the D. Wayne Lukas Stakes (G2), establishing her as a premier figure in the distaff division. Bred in Maryland by Elkstone Group, Splendora is by Audible out of Miss Freeze and was purchased as a yearling for $125,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton sales. With her dominant current form and unmatched speed, Baffert’s pupil remains one of the most fearsome mares in North America, with her story on the track still appearing far from its peak.
