Zenyatta Stakes Picks & Previews
The October 1 card at Santa Anita is full of Breeders’ Cup previews, but the matchup between Beholder and Stellar Wind in the Grade 1 Zenyatta Stakes might be the most anticipated event of the weekend.
Beholder (1/1) was narrowly defeated by Stellar Wind (6/5) last out in the Clement L. Hirsch July 30 at Del Mar after defeating that rival June 4 in the Vanity Mile at Santa Anita. The loss was the first for the multiple Breeders' Cup winning filly Beholder since 2014 and sets the tone for a rumble that will surely determine which filly goes favored in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Distaff.
Beholder won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in 2012 and Breeders' Cup Distaff in 2014 before missing a scheduled start against the boys in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Classic. The six year-old mare may have lost a step from the dominant form she showed in 2015 winning the Grade 1 Pacific Classic against males, but is still plenty good enough to be the best of her division as she goes for an unprecedented fourth consecutive win in the Zenyatta. Tara's Tango (8/1) could crash the trifecta, but it will be an uphill battle for the remainder of the filed to catch the top two fillies in this event.
OTB CA Picks
1) #2 Beholder
2) # 5 Stellar Wind
3) #4 Tara's Tango
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