The Beholder Mile Stakes is a Grade I American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares aged three and up. It is run over a distance of one mile on the dirt each year in March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
History
The event was inaugurated in 1940 as the Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California over the current distance of one mile.
In 1968 Gamely won carrying a record weight for a winner of 131 pounds in the race. Her owner William Haggin Perry had the three placegetters in the race which carried a record high stakes amount for the fillies and mares of $79,650.
Originally an open handicap for fillies and mares aged three years and up, in 1987 it was changed to an invitational handicap for selected fillies and mares. Over the next three decades, the race switched between open handicap and invitational handicap formats. Following the closure of Hollywood Park, the race moved to Santa Anita Park in 2014. In that same year, the event was changed from the handicap format to a weight-for-age race with allowances for horses who had not recently won a graded stakes race.
In 2016 it was announced that the race would be renamed the Vanity Mile and the distance reduced accordingly. In 2017 it was announced that the race would be renamed after the Champion Mare Beholder.
The race is normally run on dirt, except between 2007 and 2013 when Hollywood Park used a synthetic Cushion Track surface.
The race was not run in 1942 and 1943 due to wartime restrictions.
Distance
The race has since been contested at various distances: 1 mile – 1940; 2016–present; miles – 1941, 1944–1949, 1951–1953; miles – 1950, 1954–1985, 1988–2015; miles – 1986–1987.
Records
Time record: 1:35.60 for 1 mile – Unique Bella (2018) 1:46.20 for miles – Princess Rooney (1984)
Most wins: 3 – Zenyatta (2008, 2009, 2010)
Winners since 1972
Earlier winners
1971 : Hi Q. 1970 : Commissary 1969 : Desert Law 1968 : Gamely 1967 : Desert Love 1966 : Khal Ireland 1965 : Jalousie 1964 : Star Maggie 1963 : Table Mate 1962 : Linita 1961 : Perizade 1960 : Silver Spoon † 1959 : Zevs Joy / Tender Size 1958 : Annie-Lu-San 1957 : Annie-Lu-San 1956 : Mary Machree 1955 : Countess Fleet 1954 : Bubbley 1953 : Fleet Khal 1952 : Two Lea 1951 : Bewitch 1950 : Next Move 1949 : Silver Drift 1948 : Hemet Squaw 1947 : Honeymoon 1946 : Be Faithful 1945 : Busher 1944 : Happy Issue ‡1943 : Race not held ‡1942 : Race not held 1941 : Painted Veil 1940 : Etolia II
Notes:
† Run in two divisions in 1959.