Beholder out of Breeders' Cup Classic

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Trainer Richard Mandella said two-time Eclipse Award winner Beholder will not run in the Breeders' Cup Classic after being scoped Thursday morning at Keeneland, when it was discovered that the mare had bled.

The 5-year-old daughter of Henny Hughes, owned by Spendthrift Farm, had developed a fever after her arrival in Kentucky from California, and Mandella said the mare has some irritated lung tissue.

"And with that we've obviously got some irritated lungs that are vulnerable right now and we will not take the chance to run her under those circumstances," Mandella said after announcing the scratch during a midmorning news conference that included other trainers.

"She will be fine, but if I put her under the pressure of a race situation, it could cause some real damage," he said. "This was obviously due to the fever she had when she arrived. You could say we just haven't had any luck shipping, but it's been something different every time. She's an aggressive mare and just got herself worked up shipping and made herself sick."

Beholder's withdrawal ends the talk of a highly anticipated showdown between the mare and Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

"It's sad," Mandella said. "It's exciting to take on a challenge like this. It's still a great race. I just wish I was part of it."

Mandella said plans still call for Beholder, who has 15 wins and two second place finishes from 20 starts and earnings in excess of $4.4 million, to run in 2016.