| Class: | Grade I |
| Horse Race: | Beholder Mile Stakes |
| Location: | Santa Anita Park Arcadia, California, USA |
| Inaugurated: | 1940 (as Vanity Handicap) |
| Race Type: | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Distance: | 1 mile (8 furlongs) |
| Surface: | Dirt |
| Track: | left-handed |
| Qualification: | Fillies & Mares, Three-years-old & Up |
| Weight: | Allowance |
| Purse: | $500,000 (2022)[1] |
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.
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.[2]
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.[3]
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.[4]
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.
The race has since been contested at various distances:
Time record:
Most wins:
| Year | Winner | Age | Weight | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time | Distance (miles) | Purse |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| align=left colspan=10 | Beholder Mile Stakes | ||||||||
| 2024 | Sweet Azteca | 4 | 122 | Flavien Prat | Michael McCarthy | Pamela Ziebarth | 1:36.40 | 1 | $500,000 |
| 2023 | A Mo Reay | 4 | 122 | Flavien Prat | Brad H. Cox | Hunter Valley Farm | 1:36.25 | 1 | $500,000 |
| 2022 | As Time Goes By | 5 | 122 | Flavien Prat | Bob Baffert | Michael B. Tabor, Mrs. John Magnier and Derrick Smith | 1:37.55 | 1 | $500,000 |
| 2021 | Swiss Skydiver | 4 | 124 | Robby Albarado | Kenneth McPeek | Peter J. Callahan | 1:36.18 | 1 | $300,000 |
| 2020 | Ce Ce | 4 | 121 | Victor Espinoza | Michael W. McCarthy | Bo Hirsch LLC | 1:37.33 | 1 | $400,000 |
| 2019 | Secret Spice | 4 | 121 | Geovanni Franco | Richard Baltas | Little Red Feather Racing | 1:38.39 | 1 | $400,000 |
| 2018 | Unique Bella | 4 | 121 | Jerry Hollendorfer | Don Alberto Stable | 1:35.60 | 1 | $400,000 | |
| 2017 | Stellar Wind | 5 | 126 | John W. Sadler | Hronis Racing LLC | 1:36.14 | 1 | $400,000 | |
| align=left colspan=10 | Vanity Mile Stakes | ||||||||
| 2016 | Beholder | 6 | 123 | Gary Stevens | Richard E. Mandella | Spendthrift Farm | 1:35.97 | 1 | $400,000 |
| align=left colspan=10 | Vanity Stakes | ||||||||
| 2015 | My Sweet Addiction | 5 | 119 | Mike E. Smith | Martin F. Jones | Pamela C. Ziebarth | 1:49.73 | $300,000 | |
| 2014 | Iotapa | 4 | 119 | Joe Talamo | John W. Sadler | Hronis Racing | 1:47.64 | $300,000 | |
| align=left colspan=10 | Vanity Handicap / Vanity Invitational Handicap | ||||||||
| 2013 | Byrama (GB) | 4 | 117 | Gary Stevens | Simon Callaghan | Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners | 1:51.40 | $250,000 | |
| 2012 | Love Theway Youare | 4 | 115 | Garrett Gomez | Myung Kwon Cho | Myung Kwon Cho | 1:51.10 | $250,000 | |
| 2011 | Blind Luck | 4 | 123 | Garrett Gomez | Jerry Hollendorfer | Hollendorfer/Dedomenico/Carver/Abruzzo | 1:50.89 | $250,000 | |
| 2010 | Zenyatta | 6 | 129 | Mike E. Smith | John Shirreffs | Jerry & Ann Moss | 1:49.01 | $250,000 | |
| 2009 | Zenyatta | 5 | 129 | Mike E. Smith | John Shirreffs | Jerry & Ann Moss | 1:48.15 | $300,000 | |
| 2008 | Zenyatta | 4 | 124 | Mike E. Smith | John Shirreffs | Jerry & Ann Moss | 1:49.51 | $300,000 | |
| 2007 | Nashoba's Key | 4 | 118 | Joe Talamo | Carla Gaines | Warren B. Williamson | 1:48.83 | $300,000 | |
| 2006 | Hollywood Story | 5 | 118 | David R. Flores | John Shirreffs | George Krikorian | 1:48.55 | $300,000 | |
| 2005 | Splendid Blended | 3 | 120 | Jerry D. Bailey | Neil D. Drysdale | Peter Vegso Racing | 1:49.33 | $300,000 | |
| 2004 | Victory Encounter | 4 | 116 | Alex Solis | John W. Sadler | Tom Mankiewicz | 1:48.28 | $250,000 | |
| 2003 | Azeri | 5 | 127 | Mike E. Smith | Laura de Seroux | A. Paulson Living Trust | 1:48.48 | $250,000 | |
| 2002 | Azeri | 4 | 125 | Mike E. Smith | Laura de Seroux | A. Paulson Living Trust | 1:48.88 | $250,000 | |
| 2001 | Gourmet Girl | 6 | 119 | Gary Stevens | Pico Perdomo | Gary A. Tanaka | 1:49.21 | $250,000 | |
| 2000 | Riboletta | 5 | 123 | Chris McCarron | Eduardo Inda | Aaron & Marie Jones | 1:48.54 | $300,000 | |
| 1999 | Manistique | 4 | 122 | Chris McCarron | John Shirreffs | 505 Farms | 1:48.06 | $400,000 | |
| 1998 | Escena | 5 | 124 | Jerry D. Bailey | William I. Mott | Allen E. Paulson | 1:48.00 | $350,000 | |
| 1997 | Twice the Vice | 5 | 121 | Chris McCarron | Ronald W. Ellis | Martin & Pam Wygod | 1:46.40 | $400,000 | |
| 1996 | Jewel Princess | 4 | 120 | Corey Nakatani | Wallace Dollase | Richard & Martha Stephen | 1:47.00 | $250,000 | |
| 1995 | Private Persuasion | 4 | 114 | Gary Stevens | Dan Hendricks | Martin & Pam Wygod | 1:48.20 | $300,000 | |
| 1994 | 5 | 114 | Alex Solis | Ron McAnally | Leslie Grimm | 1:48.08 | $300,000 | ||
| 1993 | Re Toss | 6 | 115 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Henry M. Moreno | Arthur & Larry Risdon | 1:47.92 | $300,000 | |
| 1992 | Paseana | 5 | 127 | Chris McCarron | Ron McAnally | Sidney H. Craig | 1:48.06 | $300,000 | |
| 1991 | Brought To Mind | 4 | 120 | Pat Valenzuela | Ron McAnally | Tadahiro Hotehama | 1:48.50 | $200,000 | |
| 1990 | Gorgeous | 4 | 124 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Neil D. Drysdale | Robert N. Clay | 1:48.20 | $200,000 | |
| 1989 | Bayakoa | 5 | 125 | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Ron McAnally | Janis & Frank Whitham | 1:47.20 | $200,000 | |
| 1988 | Annoconnor | 4 | 114 | Corey Black | John Gosden | Morton Fink & Roy Gottlieb | 1:49.20 | $200,000 | |
| 1987 | Infinidad | 5 | 113 | Corey Black | Charles E. Whittingham | Arthur B. Hancock III | 2:00.60 | $200,000 | |
| 1986 | Magnificent Lindy | 4 | 116 | Chris McCarron | Neil Drysdale | Paula L. Tucker | 2:02.00 | $200,000 | |
| 1985 | Dontstop Themusic | 5 | 118 | Ángel Cordero Jr. | Randy Winick | Mr. & Mrs. Albert Broccoli | 1:47.80 | $200,000 | |
| 1984 | Princess Rooney | 4 | 120 | Eddie Delahoussaye | Neil Drysdale | Paula L. Tucker | 1:46.20 | $200,000 | |
| 1983 | A Kiss for Luck | 4 | 114 | Chris McCarron | Jerry Fanning | Paula L. Tucker | 1:49.20 | $200,000 | |
| 1982 | Sangue | 4 | 120 | Bill Shoemaker | Henry M. Moreno | R. Charlene Parks | 1:48.00 | $200,000 | |
| 1981 | Track Robbery | 5 | 120 | Patrick Valenzuela | Robert L. Wheeler | Summa Stable | 1:47.00 | $200,000 | |
| 1980 | It's In The Air | 4 | 120 | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Laz Barrera | Harbor View Farm | 1:47.00 | $150,000 | |
| 1979 | It's In The Air | 3 | 113 | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Laz Barrera | Harbor View Farm | 1:47.40 | $125,000 | |
| 1978 | Afifa | 4 | 113 | Bill Shoemaker | Gene Cleveland | Swiftsure Stable | 1:46.40 | $125,000 | |
| 1977 | Cascapedia | 4 | 129 | Sandy Hawley | Gordon C. Campbell | Bernard J. Ridder | 1:47.60 | $100,000 | |
| 1976 | Miss Toshiba | 4 | 120 | Fernando Toro | Thomas A. Pratt | Robert Sangster | 1:48.00 | $100,000 | |
| 1975 | Dulcia | 6 | 118 | Bill Shoemaker | Charles E. Whittingham | Helen G. Stollery | 1:47.40 | ||
| 1974 | Tallahto | 4 | 126 | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Charles E. Whittingham | Elizabeth A. Keck | 1:47.00 | ||
| 1973 | Convenience | 5 | 121 | John L. Rotz | Willard L. Proctor | Glen Hill Farm | 1:47.80 | ||
| 1972 | Convenience | 4 | 121 | Jerry Lambert | Willard L. Proctor | Glen Hill Farm | 1:47.80 | ||
Notes:
† Run in two divisions in 1959.
‡ Race not held due to World War II