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[bobphilo]

I'm inclined to see this as a match race between Stellar Wind and Beholder. Stellar Wind has grown into a super mare along with Beholder, who she beat the last 2 times they met. Of course, Beholders last brilliant workout may indicate she is sitting on another super-race. Then again, Stellar Wind just out-worked her stablemate Hard Aces, a Gr1 stakes winning older male horse. Songbird is a dominant 3YO but has yet to prove herself against the big girls. As California Chrome has shown, horses get better with maturity.

With males the 3YOs often beat the older horses late in the season because the best males are usually whisked off to stud before they reach their peak as older horses thus depleting the older male ranks. Chrome is the the rare exception because they thought he would make more money racing than at stud due to his "unfashionable" pedigree. Females are allowed to race into their best years and have an edge over their less mature rivals.