By Brian DiDonato
Hronis Racing's Stellar Wind (Curlin), who spent last year trading decisions with retired future Hall of Famer Beholder (Henny Hughes), headlines a short field Saturday for Santa Anita's GI Beholder Mile–formerly the Vanity. Named champion 3-year-old filly of 2015, Stellar Wind made her 4-year-old debut in this spot last year, checking in second behind Beholder and one spot ahead of then under-the-radar Finest City (City Zip). She turned the tables on Beholder in the GI Clement L. Hirsch S. at Del Mar in late July, and bested the Spendthrift superstar again when earning a career-top 110 Beyer Speed Figure for a neck decision in the GI Zenyatta S. Oct. 1. Beholder went out a winner with a nose tally from two-time champion Songbird (Medaglia d'Oro)–who will skip this race in favor of next Saturday's GI Ogden Phipps S. at Belmont–in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff here Nov. 4, while Stellar Wind was a dull and puzzling fourth. Stellar Wind bounced back with a victory in the GI Apple Blossom H. at Oaklawn Apr. 14, and was flattered when runner-up Terra Promessa (Curlin) crushed an overmatched group in the GIII Allaire DuPont Distaff S. at Pimlico Preakness weekend.
Finest City had a productive 2016 in her own right. Having already taken the GII Great Lady M. S. before her third in this event, she just missed going nine grassy furlongs in September's GII John C. Mabee S. The Seltzer Thoroughbreds colorbearer cut back successfully to upend the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint en route to Eclipse honors for champion female sprinter. She added the GII Santa Monica S. back over the same seven-furlong trip here Jan. 21, but had to settle for second to Vale Dori (Arg) (Asiatic Boy {Arg}) when stretched to 1 1/8 miles for the GI Santa Margarita S. Mar. 8. Finest City's connections were mulling over the 1 1/16-mile GII La Troienne S. and seven-panel GI Humana Distaff S. on GI Kentucky Derby weekend, and opted for the latter. The chestnut finished second by a neck to last-out GI Madison S. winner Paulassilverlining (Ghostzapper). A flat mile is probably the ideal distance for Finest City, but one turn would likely be better for her than two.
Vale Dori was a distant third in the Zenyatta last year, but has reeled off six straight victories since then. She was last seen annexing the GIII Adoration S. here May 7, but Stellar Wind is a much more formidable foe than what she's been up against during her win streak.
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